Maybe You're My Love
by AmazonRozz
Summary: These chapters take place after the manga by the great Hatori Bisco. It's inspired by the Host Club's Adventures in Boston, MA in the USA and focuses on an original character Amelie "Ami" Noble, the heiress to an Entertainment Company who slowly falls in love with Kyoya over his year at her university.
1. Fellow Ouran Writers a brief warning

To my beautiful readers and fellow Ouran writers:

There is a guest reviewer out there and they are constantly bullying fan fiction writers on this site, mostly under Ouran fics. They are posting under the pretense that that they are being helpful and kind, instead of rude, blunt, and not really constructive. This is not a kind person. They've already attacked me with two "kind" reviews where they've called me an idiot and my character a b*tch. They continue to find fan fiction on here and have trolled many other writers.

I think because my last few messages about this story were aimed at this anonymous reviewer they have decided to come at me even harsher. But in the words of a wise meme... "Ain't nobody got time for that!" I survived high school and college many moons ago and can handle this. But for those of you who happen to see that anon-guest reviewer...

Stay strong. Keep writing. You are all wonderful.

And if someone doesn't like your story, your writing, or points out every error without politely helping you-and if they can't refuse the urge to be volatile, just ignore them. They don't have to read your story and they're not doing you a favor. You don't owe them a thing. I encourage you all to stay positive and write your heart out!

Remember that scene in Doctor Who where he takes Vincent Van Gogh to his art exhibit? Remember that feeling of an artist down on his luck, miserable, suffering through mental disorders? He had his friends. He had hope. He had love.

I love you all!

Your Otaku Princess,

Amazon


	2. Chapter 1: And So She Met Him

*Please read Chapter 0 in the drop down menu before continuing

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Maybe You're My Love…

An Ouran Host Club Fiction

 **Chapter One: And so she met him…**

 **Prologue**

"Remember, Amelie, you are a powerful, beautiful, Queen, and must always treat your subjects with kindness and a firm hand. Ask for what you want, but use your skill to make sure you get it."

This was one of the few lessons my mother had taught me since I was four years old. I was to be formal, literate, smart and knowledgable in every subject, and talented enough to keep my _subjects_ ' eyes on me at all times.

I wasn't a princess, though my father always called me one. Why were my friends supposed to be subjects? Why did I have to be separated from them all of the time? I don't remember having play dates, or going to the beach and making a sandcastle with the other kids on nice days. Instead I had violin lessons, math tutors, and etiquette training courses. My mother was shaping me into the perfect doll. She was a talented ventriloquist.

If I smiled, it should melt even the coldest heart. My eyes should always be resting and calm, but with a fire behind them that would demand attention. I would hold myself with grace. I would have the air of a virgin with the voice of a temptress. I'd be gentle and hypnotic, with the tongue of a serpent. When I turned 25, I would inherit my fathers business, a well known entertainment company and hotel chain. This was my dream. Or at least _I was told_ , this would always be my one and only dream.

I never knew anything other than what my mother told me. I wasn't allowed to think otherwise. And for a while...I never questioned her. For all I knew, she was right in every single way. Who was I to know better?

When I was sixteen, I left my home in Beverly Hills, and stayed in an apartment on the Boston University School grounds. In two years I made my stamp on the school. I was in every club, president of the Entertainment Club, Vice President of the Finance Club, a three time champion in the debate club, and soon to be senior class president and valedictorian at graduation. **Just like my mother wanted...**

I had it all planned out. My resume would be impossible to turn down. I'd get acceptance letters from every university I applied for and invites to colleges I never looked at. I had it all…

Until **he** showed up...

 **Boston, Massachusetts Present Day**

"Good morning Miss Noble!"

"Good morning, Miss Noble!"

"Yo, Noble!"

"Ami! You look great this morning!"

Amelie waved and smiled at everyone who greeted her. She was on her way to the front gate and if she had timed this perfectly she'd meet the new exchange students just before they arrived. She even planned out her pose and worked on her smile all morning. She had hired a tutor to teach her Japanese (though it was an incredibly difficult language to learn). Ami only managed to grasp basic greetings and directions, though she was sure the new students would want to practice as much English as they could. Which was perfect because she honestly wasn't any good at it.

It was also great that the new students all happened to be wealthy. If Amelie could make herself friends with them all, then she'd have connections ready to go- straight out of college. Yes. This was a perfect plan. Her mother would approve.

Amelie's best friend (and assistant), Tara, was already at the gate with a pile of steaming hot teacups ready to go, "Good job, Tara — as usual." said Amelie.

"Thanks, boss! I got everything like you said and even have pre-printed maps that I fixed up to show them all the best spots in town and around campus. I'm sure they've been here for a few weeks, so I highlighted things I'm sure they didn't have the time to get to."

"Punctual as always too, Tara." Amelie gave her a big grin and Tara turned away so Amelie wouldn't see her blush. "Ah, speaking of!"

The front gates opened and in walked the crowd of Japanese exchange students. Just as Amelie had planned it she knew each one by name and major they were studying. Just as they were about to approach Amelie and Tara stepped forward and bowed to their guests.

"Welcome!" Amelie greeted them in Japanese, she switched to English next, "My name is Amelie Noble. Welcome to Boston High School University, or Bizu for short. I was elected to be your tour guide and resident counselor so if you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact me." At the last two words, Tara came forward and handed each new student a small packet.

"Now," said Amelie, she paced up and down the line of Japanese students. She had memorized their applications and student information a week ago, so she was sure to impress them now, "You must be the Hitachiin Twins. Let me guess…" she looked back and forth between them, "This one is Hikaru and this one is Kaoru." Their eyes went wide, "And over here we have Mitskuni Haninozuka! You know there's a great place here where you get to build your own stuffed animals. I bet you'd love to have your very own all American stuffed toy."

"Wow that sounds amazing!" Honey cheered and clapped and his grin made Amelie smile.

"I'll be sure to take you there personally." She said. She then looked up at the massive form and smirked, "And that makes you the well endowed cousin, Takashi Morinozuka. We have a very talented gym here and I'm sure you could have a great time learning some American fighting styles like boxing. Maybe we could spar some time."

"Yeah." said Mori.

Amelie then turned her attention to the young man with glasses and she paused for a moment. She then gave him her warmest smile and he extended his hand before she could greet him. "Kyoya Ootori, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He gave Amelie his warmest smile and she suddenly felt a wave of tension between them. There'd be trouble with this one.

"Pardon me," Amelie turned to look at the blond man who stood beside Kyoya. "Allow me to introduce myself," he did a quick turn and flipped his hair and smiled. All the girls in the area stopped what they were doing and swooned. Amelie kept her smile and shook his hand. "I'm Tamaki Souh."

"Ah the creator of the infamous Ouran Host Club!" Tamaki's eyes lit up light stars and he began to wiggle back and forth at the mention of his clubs name. Amelie went on, "Yes I don't know if you know, but the Host Club has gained quite a bit of fame overseas. In fact we have something similar here called the Entertainment Club. I'm the president of it, I'd love for you to see it sometime and give us a few tips."

"We'd love to!" said Tamaki.

"Great! Well I'm sure you're all still a little tired from the time difference so I'll make the tour quick and simple. Shall we go?" Mitskuni or "Honey" as he liked to be called, took Amelie's hand and walked with her through the majority of the tour. She didn't feel an ounce embarrassed when everyone stopped to greet her or compliment her. It made Amelie feel more powerful. Superior.

"My…" said Kyoya, he took his place beside Amelie and studied all of the American students, "You're quite popular aren't you?"

"I just get a long really well with everyone," said Amelie. The electrical tension between them increased.

"Um…Senpai…" started Haruhi, but Kyoya interrupted her.

"What are the dynamics here? Is it all commoners and the wealthy mixed together or mostly rich?"

Amelie covered her mouth and released a chuckle, "I've never heard that one before. I suppose it's a mix. A lot of the students are here on scholarships like Haruhi here. Some can just afford it. Most American schools are mixed like that. It'd be quite pretentious—I think—to go to an all elite school! However would you get any cultural appreciation or knowledge?" Kyoya laughed with her but the other Hosts knew he took that comment personally.

Kaoru leaned over to Hikaru and whispered, "I think Kyoya-Senpai just found his match."

The remainder of the tour went on with back and forth snide remarks from Kyoya and Amelie. One would ask a question to the other about their culture and the other would respond with a smile and a laugh and subtly call the other an idiot. This game only came to an end when the bells rang and Amelie turned on her heels and smiled at her new group.

"Well, that's all we have. I believe your classes don't start until tomorrow, so please enjoy yourself!"

Tara came forward and handed each the maps she made herself. Kaoru looked at the map in detail, "Did you make these by hand?" he asked.

"Oh! Um..yeah." Said Tara.

"They're very nice." he said. He flashed her a smile and Tara froze in her spot. She didn't know what to do.

"Kaoru!" Hikaru took his brother by the chin and brought his face closer, once again the girls in the courtyard swooned. "You're embarrassing her. You know better than that!" Tara turned her face away and ran for the hills.

Seeing that her job was done, Amelie left the Host Club to their business. As the days went by she stopped now and again to check in on them. She found Tamaki and Haruhi wandering the school grounds hand in hand. Amelie sometimes pushed them into what was said to be the most romantic parts of the school, like the rose garden or the labyrinth. She'd leave hints on Haruhi's desk or in Tamaki's bag.

Tara seemed to be getting along really well with Honey, the two had an affinity for sweet snacks. What Amelie couldn't understand was, Takashi. He was tall, silent, didn't say much, and was almost Honey's shadow. Interesting. The twins were trouble makers, that was easy to see from day one. Often Amelie would be called to the Principal's office to bail the twins out—yet again. They were excellent at testing her patience, but she wondered just how long she could hold out before she whacked the both of them over the head.

And then there was Kyoya Ootori. His nose was always deep in his black leather notebook. Amelie wondered if what he wrote in that, was similar to what she wrote on her tablet. She kept a file on just about every important student in the school. Kyoya had a very long file. According to Amelie's research he was the true leader of the Host Club and third in line to inherit his father's company. He could do whatever he wanted, but he seemed very much into his work.

Amelie hadn't noticed that she was staring at him from across the courtyard until Kyoya looked at her. She panicked a little and then turned away to admire the fountain beside her. She hated getting lost in her thoughts.

"This is inspired by a greek piece, is it not?" came a cool voice over her shoulder. Amelie froze for a moment, but regained her nerves.

"Yes," said Amelie, "It's inspired by the Trevi fountain in Rome, with a greek style in the faces. It's supposed to bring inspiration to the students."

"Fascinating," Kyoya said as he wrote in his notebook again, "Tell me, Miss Noble. Have you ever been to Rome?"

"My family has a hotel chain there. It's very beautiful during their summer time. Right on the beach with the mountains in the distance." She paused and then looked up at Kyoya, "Have _you_ ever been, Kyoya?"

"I think any family with substantial interest in business would go to Rome. It's one of the best places for international and domestic ventures."

"I couldn't agree more."

So he was testing her…It didn't surprise Amelie that Kyoya didn't have the same amount of information on her as she did him. He was on her turf. She ran this school and orchestrated every event, just as her mother had trained her to do…with a smile. She was very rarely turned down and her proposals were approved and executed every semester. Amelie was in charge of what people knew and what they didn't. If Kyoya wanted to know anything more than just her family name and business, he'd have to ask. And he seemed like the kind of guy who didn't like to ask. Perhaps this would be like pulling teeth. In which case, Amelie was more than ready to let the games begin.

Kyoya was like a cat playing a game of chase with a mouse. He'd find Amelie on her own one moment and begin going on and on about the finer things of the world. She'd only let him get a taste of what he wanted. He seemed very interested in her parents and particularly where they liked to dine when they visited her. Amelie would give him what he wanted…just not the truth. She told him of places her father preferred to eat at and that he would be joining her for dinner this weekend. On the following Monday, Kyoya would show up frustrated, yet trying to remain civil in front of her. "Oops!" She'd say, and then make up some excuse why her father never showed up. It was delightful.

During one of their sessions, however, Amelie stood up when she saw two of the first year students starting a fight. Kyoya watched her as she charged over and separated the boys with force.

"Miss Noble!" they both exclaimed.

"Just what exactly is going on here?" she barked at them. "The rules specifically state that there are to be no fights on school grounds. Explain yourselves!"

Both boys avoided looking directly at her.

"Seems to me," said Mori, coming out of the shadows of the quad, "That they were fighting over a girl."

Amelie shot her eyes at them and the boys cowered, "How pathetic," she said, "If this girl were so special, and a true lady, she would acknowledge her feelings for the boy she preferred. Are you two friends?" she asked, they nodded, "You shouldn't let this tear your friendship apart. Sometimes, a lady just isn't worth it." She tossed her curly hair over her shoulders and the entire quad applauded for her.

"So…" started one of the boys, "Which one of us do you like?"

Wha…

Amelie's eyes went wide and she felt paralyzed. "Me?" she asked. They nodded, both with hearts in their eyes. "Uh…" crap. She wasn't expecting this to be about her. "You see gentlemen…I'm afraid I don't even know who you are to be frank—" Both boys fell over as if hit with an arrow to the heart. Oh no! Amelie had to recover quickly. She'd never had to deal with a confession in public before. She had to maintain pure and innocent. "It's only because…you see…" she had to think of something quick! "I simply don't have time to travel the long and winding road of love!" Gasps from the audience, this was good. She had them hooked. Kyoya and Mori raised their eyebrows in curiosity as Amelie went on. "My heart, body, and soul, are married to my education. You see as the only daughter and heir to a business, I'm afraid I must spend all of my time studying and proving to my parents that I can excel at what they demand of me. I'm afraid that if I fail…" here she called forth tears, "I'd be a disappointment to every young woman out there who's told she can't. I want to say, YES YOU CAN!" Cheers and applause. Thank God, she really didn't know if this would work. "So you see, I'm afraid I can't reciprocate your feelings. But please don't let this rejection discourage you from finding love," she touched boy boys on the cheeks and made them blush intensely, "I want you to find the girl of your dreams and help her achieve her own. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes Miss Noble, of course we will!" the boys exclaimed. They were wiping away tears as were the others who watched the scene.

Amelie turned and gave the crowd her signature look from under her eyelashes, "That—that means so much to me."

Everyone rushed forward and began fawn over Amelie as she shyly batted them away like a nervous schoolgirl. Kyoya smiled. Not just his usual smirk. But a smile. He understood who Amelie was, perfectly.

"Please everyone. It would mean so much to me if you showed your support to the Entertainment Club! We host tea parties every weekend from Noon to four and would love to see you come and cheer us on."

"Yes, Amelie we will!" said the crowd. They began to disperse and as they did Amelie took out her cell phone.

"Tara!"

Suddenly Tara was by her side. "Yes, Ami?"

"Don't ever let something like that happen, ever again. At least, not while I'm around."

"Yes ma'am!"

Before she left, Amelie looked over her shoulder at Kyoya who still had that smile on his face. Damn it, she let him see too much. But at least now the game wasn't one sided. It'd be much more interesting now.


	3. Chapter 2: Beach Daze!

**Maybe Your My Love**

Chapter Two: Beach Daze!

The leaves were starting to change colors.

Ami stopped to look up at the colors and smile. She loved fall. But this also meant the good weather would be leaving. As she stood there she stretched a little. Her morning run hadn't been so successful. She wasn't good at running, having been asthmatic as a child. She couldn't get very far, but she at least made it seem like she could. A few other students from the sports club passed her and Ami waved at them and took a sip from her water bottle. It wasn't water. But the black bottle wouldn't reveal the coffee hidden inside. She grinned before she took another sip. She might as well walk the rest of the way home.

Before Ami could open the doors to the dormitories she could already hear Tamaki and Haruhi yelling at each other. Today it sounded like Tamaki burned something. Those two were hilarious, Ami really liked them. She pushed through the doors and bumped into the tall, shirtless, frame of Mori. He looked down at her with the same stoic expression he always wore.

"Oh! Good morning, Takashi." She greeted him.

"Good morning." he said.

Ami took a step back to get a good look at him. Mori was fit as any kendo fighter could be, she supposed. He was certainly tall, and cute, and mysterious. He'd be perfect for her Entertainment club. She'd make a mental note to introduce him to it later.

"Off to go use the gym?" Ami asked. He replied with a grunt. "No Honey today?" He pointed up, "Ah, he's sleeping in." Another grunt. She decided to try something. She motioned for Mori to come closer and he bent down to her height. "I'm a little embarrassed to ask, but…should I call you Takashi? Or…" she stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "Senpai?" Mori's face went red. Ah-ha! So he could show more than one emotion.

"Uh…" Mori stood as straight as a stick and avoided eye contact with her, "Whichever."

"I guess I'm still trying to understand Japanese phonetics and how you spell your names and how to properly address all of you. But I'm sure here you'd rather try to be as American as you can right?" Mori nodded, but Ami was sure he wasn't quite paying attention. "Hmm…Mori-Senpai…" she tried the name out a few times. "Maybe I'll try both out for a while. It should be fun!"

Ami then walked passed Mori and brushed her hand over his shoulder. He left out the front door, though she was sure he was phased by it.

"Hey Ami-Chan!"

Two voices in unison could only mean, Hikaru and Kaoru.

Ami sighed as she stepped out of the elevator and saw the two together.

"Is everyone here an early riser?" she asked.

"No," said the twins with a shrug, "Kyoya hates getting up early!"

Interesting…

"What can I help you boys with today?" asked Ami as she started walking down the hall to her room.

"We're bored," said the twins, "We want to go somewhere this weekend. Take us somewhere nice."

"Like where?" asked Ami, she took out the keys to her door and tilted her head in question, waiting for the twins to answer.

"How about…" said Kaoru, "The beach!" Hikaru finished.

"Hmm," Ami lowered her keys and thought about it, "That sounds like a good idea. Yeah, we could go to the private inn my family owns in Manchester—"

The twins cheered and took out their phones and immediately sent texts to the other hosts. "We'll meet you here on Friday after school! Thanks Ami-Chan!"

She'd never get any studying done now.

* * *

Friday

All but Kyoya were waiting outside of Ami's room. It was 11am and the drive would take at least an hour to get there.

"Where is Kyoya?" asked Ami.

A darkness spread over the group.

"He's still…sleeping." Tamaki said, his eyes grew large and vacant.

"Why didn't you wake him up?"

The group screamed and backed away. "W-w-wake him up?!" they asked. "You never wake Kyo-Chan before noon!" said Honey. "Or else you face the wrath of the Dark Lord!" they all said together.

Ami crossed her arms, "We'll see about that. I said we would leave at 11am, and now we're going to be behind schedule…" she muttered to herself as she marched down the hall to the stairs going up to the fifth floor. The Host club followed after her. Tara walked up the steps but before she could greet them she was absorbed into cluster.

When Kyoya didn't answer his door after three knocks, Ami balled her hand into a fist and pounded on it. A shirtless Kyoya threw the door open and glared at her. "Leave…me…alone." He said. An evil aura leaked from his room and the Host Club and Tara backed away from him. Ami stood her ground.

"It's time to leave, Kyoya."

"I will meet you there." He said shortly.

"No you will—"

SLAM!

"Uh-oh…" said Tara. She began to cower.

In an instant Ami kicked open Kyoya's door and threw herself into the dark. What pursued could only be left up to the imagination. All everyone heard were growls, grunts, and only snippets of dialogue between the two as they argued with each other. And suddenly…there was silence.

The door opened and everyone gasped, waiting in anticipation.

Ami and Kyoya stepped out, Kyoya was dressed well and looked as if he had his full twelve hours of sleep. "Sorry for running late, everyone. I had mistakenly assumed we'd be leaving later. But Amelie has _convinced_ me of otherwise."

"Oh it's quite alright, Kyoya. Now lets get going, shall we?" Ami took the lead down the stairs and Kyoya followed after.

"Is she a witch?" asked Kaoru.

"Some think so…" said Tara.

* * *

The view of the beach from the Inn was stunning. There were families out on the water in their boats and others were cooking and playing volleyball. Ami liked this location the best out all of her families hotel and private Inn chains. It felt more peaceful and quiet with the woods that surrounded it and the sound of the waves lapping at the soft sand. The air even smelled sweeter out here.

"Ami-Chan!" Honey took her arm and pulled her toward the water, "Come swim with me!"

"Ok!" Ami said. She pulled off her swim dress and spun around to show off her cute bikini. Mori, who was standing behind Honey, looked away, almost as if he was nervous.

"That's a cute bathing suit!" said Honey.

"You think?" asked Ami as she began to pose. Tara appeared with a camera and clicked away as Ami posed with a beach ball, her towel, and even with Honey.

"Um…Senpai…why are you taking pictures?" asked Haruhi.

"Just because we're not at school, doesn't mean I shouldn't work! These'll look wonderful on the Entertainment Club's website for the final days of summer countdown! For every click we get on the website, we earn donations to keep the club going!"

Ami winked and Haruhi sighed. It was just the thing Kyoya would do. Speaking of…Kyoya was taking pictures, but not of any of the Hosts. He was surveying the land. Ami saw where Haruhi was looking but before she could say anything she finally noticed what Haruhi was wearing.

"Oh my God! What are those?! Swim shorts?!" Ami pointed at Haruhi's outfit which was a pair of green swim shorts and a halter top.

"Um…" Started Haruhi.

"Ugh, enough! Say no more! Tara!" Ami snapped her fingers and Tara grabbed Haruhi by the waist and took her away to the Inn. "Such a horrible, ghastly, sight. Tamaki! Shame on you! As her boyfriend you should have had her wear something cuter!"

"ACK!" Tamaki ran over to Ami and fell down at her feet and hugged her legs, "I tried! But she just wouldn't listen to me! I even had a cute one with ruffles picked out!"

"Ruffles! That would have been so cute!"

"I KNOW!"

The two spent the time of Haruhi's absence going over all the different swim suits she could wear. The twins even joined in and said they packed a whole closet full of suits their mother made just for Haruhi. Honey was busy splashing in the water with Mori standing near, searching the water for stones. When Haruhi finally arrived, she was in a cute pink two piece bikini. Ami cheered while Tamaki fell over and had a nosebleed.

"SO CUTE!" Exclaimed Ami, she stole Haruhi and took her to the water and started splashing her. Tara's camera was out again and snapping away.

Aside from Ami's photoshoot, she took the time to show off the Inn and the surrounding town a few blocks away. Ami said her father chose the area because it made the perfect rural getaway where you weren't far from civilization but also not buried in the woods.

"It's also an adorable town where poets and artists come to seek silence and contemplate their next masterpiece. My father has a good idea for that kind of stuff. That's what makes him so successful." said Ami.

"So your father builds only where certain type of people will flock to?" asked Kyoya.

Ami nodded, "It's a good strategy. That way the people who live here are happy there are similar types staying here and the customers feel right at home. It brings them back."

"Fascinating." Kyoya said.

"Ami-chan! Is there a bakery nearby? Let's get cake!" said Honey.

"Maybe we should save that for after dinner in the Inn." said Ami, "But if you want to stay busy, how about a game of hide and seek?"

"Isn't that for kids?" asked the twins.

"Actually," said Haruhi, "That sounds pretty fun. I haven't played that in years."

"We're on Haruhi's team!" said the twins.

"HEY! THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Yelled Tamaki.

"Honey you're it!" said Ami.

Honey ran to the nearest tree and started counting.

"You don't play in teams you guys!" Tamaki pouted and stomped his feet but when he opened his eyes, everyone was already gone.

Ami and Kyoya had gone the same way and both kept running into each other whenever they found a good hiding spot.

"Go find your own place!" Ami snapped at him.

"Why don't you go, since you know the area so well?" asked Kyoya.

"Aren't you too cool to play this game anyway?" asked Ami.

"What makes you say that?"

"That's how you come off. As someone who pretends they're not interested in fun things." She stuck her tongue out at him. Kyoya tensed up and tried not to get annoyed.

"I know what you're doing," Ami teased, "You're not very clever. If you want business tips from my father, then you should just ask to see him."

"I wasn't interested in tips, thank you."

"Suuuure!"

"HERE I COME!" Came Honey's voice.

Both Kyoya and Ami turned and ran in the same direction. Ami saw the weak forest flooring before Kyoya did and she grabbed his wrist and tried to pull him back but the floor caved beneath them and they both fell down into a dark hole.

* * *

"Ugh…well…that was unfortunate." said Kyoya. He reached into his pocket and tried to fish out his phone but no light came from it. "Amelie is your phone working?"

He didn't hear anything.

"Amelie?"

Kyoya jumped when he felt something grab his arm. But he quickly realized it Amelie. She buried her head against his shoulder and she was shaking terribly hard.

"Are you alright?" Kyoya asked, this time he was sincere.

She shook her head no.

"I can assure you there's nothing down here. Based on the reverberation of our voices, it doesn't seem like a big cave."

Something fell from the ceiling and made Ami cling to Kyoya even tighter. Ah, he realized, she's afraid of the dark.

"Well, we might as well get comfortable here. It'll take a while before anyone finds us." Kyoya tried to feel himself around the cave while Ami clung to him. He was hoping they'd be found soon. She was stretching the fabric of his shirt.

Kyoya felt around on the ground until he found something that could maybe make a spark. He could feel some of the twigs and leaves that fell with them and so he made a pile and began to strike the stone he found. After a few strikes there was a fire going. Now that there was light he could see the fear on Ami's face. Kyoya sighed and then placed an arm around her, pulling her close. She was surprised by his gesture.

"I would have never guessed that the Queen of this school would be afraid of something so trivial as the dark." Kyoya said with a laugh.

"Shut up you jerk! Don't you dare tell a soul!"

There she was. Kyoya smirked and watched the fire dance.

"How long do you think the fire will last?" asked Ami.

Kyoya shrugged and then looked around at the leaves and twigs around them, "As long as we have kindling."

That wasn't the best answer. Ami tensed up and began to panic and Kyoya waved his hands and tried to calm her down.

"I'm sure we'll be rescued by then!" he shouted over her panic.

Suddenly, Ami stopped panicking and Kyoya was relieved. But it wasn't his words that calmed her. He followed her gaze and saw that as the fire grew, the cave began to sparkle. Kyoya took a stick and lit it and stood up to see more. There were shining stones in the walls.

"Amazing…" he whispered. "Ow!"

The twig had burned down and singed Kyoya's finger. He dropped it and Ami ran to his side to look at his burn. "It doesn't seem too bad, but I can't tell down here." She said.

"It's alright, I can take care of it. My family is full of doctors, I think I picked up a thing or two." Said Kyoya. Ami smiled and looked up at Kyoya. She hadn't realized their faces were so close. They blushed and then stepped away from each other.

Dirt began falling onto their heads and then suddenly light flooded the cave. A giant hand reached down and Ami ran for it and jumped. She was pulled up and out and saw that Mori had slid halfway down the entrance to rescue her and Kyoya.

"Mori…" she whispered.

"Are you ok, Amelie?" he asked as he pulled her out.

She nodded. He raised her higher and Tamaki and the twins helped her out.

"Ami-chan!" exclaimed Honey, he hugged her tight, "I'm so sorry! I walked right by you three times! FORGIVE ME!"

"It's ok, Honey," said Ami, she watched as Kyoya was brought out and the two shared a long glance. Haruhi was the only one who noticed.

"Let's go eat some cake and get you two looked at," Honey said.

"That…sounds like a good plan." said Ami.

* * *

Three days later…

"There I was! Trapped in the looming darkness, never knowing if I would get out of there alive! Suddenly, the cave began to tremble and in falls Takashi Morinozuka, and he sweeps me into his big arms and pulls me out of the cave!"

The horde of wide eyed listeners oohed and awed as Ami recanted her harrowing tale of survival in a deep, dark, cave. Kyoya sat in the distance and shook his head with a smile. Right in front of Ami was a table of precious stones that had been turned into keepsakes and necklaces, from the cave. Once she had regained her composure, she told her father about the cave and he excavated it immediately. There would also be a movie about Kyoya and Ami's _days_ in the tunnel and the students were eating it all up.

"I hear the actors portraying the two of you are going to be lovers," Haruhi said as she sat down beside Kyoya. He choked on the coffee he was drinking and glared at her.

"It's a fantastical exaggeration of what happened. Mister Noble needed a story that would sell." said Kyoya. "Although I didn't think he'd take that many liberties."

"You signed off on it?" Haruhi asked, trying to keep in a laugh.

"But of course," said Kyoya, he adjusted his glasses, "The Ootori family hospitals will be featured locations in it, as they start shooting in Japan."

Haruhi rolled her eyes, "Of course it is."

"Look at her," Kyoya was still watching Ami sell her jewelry, "She does not miss an opportunity, does she?"

"Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" asked Haruhi as she stood and joined Tamaki and the others at the lunch table.

Ami finished her sales pitch and left Tara to handle the rest. She sat down on a bench and took a breath. Sometimes all of this was just too exhausting.

"Amelie." came a deep, gruff voice behind her. It was Mori. He handed her something wrapped in a white satin cloth and then walked away.

Ami opened and saw that it was one of the stones from the cave. It was carved into a beautiful triangular shape, similar to an A. It was a blue stone with hints of red in it. And it hung on a leather chain. Ami touched it gingerly and smiled. She was starting to understand who Mori was.


	4. Chapter 3: The Entertainment Club!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Three: The Entertainment Club!

At the south part of the University grounds, across from the green house, on the abandoned third floor of the music hall, there is a room that makes all your dreams come true…

"Welcome! To the Entertainment Club."

Tamaki was in awe as he stepped through the double doors and he soaked in the greeting from Ami and her club. There were seven members just like the Hosts.

"This—This—This is because of the host club?!" asked Tamaki, he was brought to tears. Ami placed her arm around him and gave him the tour.

"Let me introduce you all," said Ami as she stepped forward. She motioned to her, still posing, club. "You all already know Tara, our freckled, green eyed, shy girl from the country! She appeals most to our clients who have the need to take care of someone and to protect, but of course Tara doesn't need that, but she plays it up well!"

"I don't mean to inconvenience you, but we are running late, Miss Noble…" Tara whispered. The boys and girls in the room went wild.

"Next," said Ami, pointing to the girl with brown skin and bright blue hair, "Is Margo. Captain of the Soccer team, and an all around tough girl. Don't get on her bad side! But if you do…you might just like it!"

Margo looked over her shoulder with a stoic expression and then gave a wink to the Host club. Once again, the room went wild. A few girls even passed out.

"And what club is complete without their own set of twins!?"

Two redheads turned around and smiled sweetly at the crowd. The girl twin, Ellie, ran forward to shake everyone's hands, "Hi! I'm Ellie—" She tripped and everyone gasped, but before she hit the ground she was caught in the arms of her brother. "M-Max?" she blushed.

"You silly girl, you have two left feet." Said Max. Their faces were close and the room exploded with heat.

"Our very own gender neutral lolita — Nate!" Nate popped out from behind Margo and gave a grin and showed off his outfit, of shorts with suspenders and a blue bow tie. "Nate loves singing and clothes of all sorts and so one day you'll see Nate in a dress and other times a nice suit. Either way, doesn't Nate just look adorable?!"

Most of the girls gathered around Nate and hugged them tight. Nate was soaking in the attention.

"And last but not least, the boy with the most detentions under his belt, Kieran! Our Irish exchange student with a temper!" Kieran looked over his shoulder briefly and nodded to the Host Club. Mori nodded back. There was an understanding between them. Many of the clients swooned. "Please," said Ami, "Enjoy yourselves."

The Entertainment Club was not your usual host club. There was a stage at the back of the room and private rooms for the host to have special conversations with their clients. Tea and cakes were served and Honey was the first one to discover the table of sweets. Just as he dug in, the doors swung open and in came a cart being pushed by a very cute girl with short hair. Mori looked up from watching Honey eat and watched as she pushed the cart over to the bakery counter.

"ANDIE!" Ami ran over to the girl and hugged her tight. "I thought you'd be coming sooner?"

"Sorry, Ami," said Andie, she placed her hand behind her head and blushed a little, "I got a little carried away and maybe made a bit too much cake." Andie reached under the cart and pulled out a three layered cake with layers and layers of frosting and beautiful rose designs.

"Oh Andie, it's beautiful." Said Ami.

"There's no such thing as too much cake!" came Honey's voice. He popped up beside Andie and made his eyes as big as he could get them. "I'm Mitskuni Haninozuka. But everyone calls me Honey!"

"Hi, Honey," Andie put her hand out to shake his and was surprised at how tight of a grip he had.

"And this is my cousin Takashi!" Honey motioned behind him and Andie had to bend her head all the way back to look up at the towering figure before her.

Mori smiled at her and Andie was suddenly half way across the room reloading the sweets. "Sorry to cut my time short here, Ami but I promise I'll be back tomorrow with more and uh—I'll um…bye!" And then she was gone.

"You have interesting, friends," said Kyoya who appeared beside Ami. She looked up at him and smiled. "Who are they to you?"

"Look at you being all sweet and asking straight forward questions, Kyoya!" She pinched his cheeks and he frowned. "Andie is the protege and heir of a swedish family of cooks who only baked for generations of Kings and Queens. Her family has a contract with mine, and our desserts have never been more popular."

Kyoya was writing all of this down in his notebook. "And the other hosts?"

Ami shrugged, "Regular students who stood out from the crowd. Tara is my best friend and everyone already thinks she's cute. Margo is popular amongst all the girls already and she has a great personality that draws people in. She's protective. The Twins are very energetic and prey on the taboo of incest, but especially on siblings who are so attractive. But Max really likes boys, so he likes to play the card that he's torn between loves. It drives our male customers crazy."

"Let me guess the others." said Kyoya. They walked around the room together and he watched Nate sit amongst a group of girls and play the piano for them. He was singing them a song. "Nate appears to work more of their talents than their looks. Make them swoon with a voice like honey and you'll have the same customers coming back."

"Right you are."

"And Kieran is the bad boy type. The one that the girls think they can reform. How clever of you. However did you convince them to do this?"

"How did you get your club together?" asked Ami. She booped Kyoya on the nose and then wandered off to Tamaki and Haruhi who were chatting with both sets of twins.

"How are we all today?" asked Ami as she sat with the group.

"Doing great, Senpai!" Hikaru and Kaoru said.

"That's such a cute thing to say, Senpai." said Max, he chuckled a little, "It's a form of respect right? I'd love to learn Japanese. Will you teach me, Kaoru?"

Kaoru blushed and then looked down at his tea cup. "Hikaru is better at that then I am so—"

"Maxie!" cried Ellie, she took her brother by the arm, "I could teach you all you want!"

Max touched his sisters cheek and placed their foreheads together, "Ellie, you silly thing. You don't know a thing about Japan. Besides…" he looked over at Kaoru, "I'd rather learn from someone with a…native tongue."

"Oh they're good," said Hikaru, as the room erupted with cheers and whines. Kaoru laughed and scratched his head, "Uh…yeah. Real good."

"Are you blushing, Kaoru?!" asked Tamaki. He leaned over the table and pointed at Kaoru's face.

"Oh come now, Tamaki," said Ami, she leaned next to Haruhi and made Haruhi look at her, "We all get a little hot and bothered every now and again. Right Haruhi?"

To Tamaki's surprise, Haruhi blushed and became flustered. Ami laughed as Tamaki started yelling at her. Kyoya stood across the room and watched his group of friends. At first he wasn't sure if coming to Boston was a good idea. It didn't benefit him in the long run. But maybe…he thought…maybe this would be a good opportunity to broaden his horizon.

In the middle of her fight with Tamaki, Ami looked up at Kyoya who was studying her behind his glasses. She smirked and then smoothly glided over to him. "While we're on the topic, Kyoya…" started Ami, her eyes glinted with mischief, "What is your type? Hmm?"

"Rich!" Called the Hitachiin's from across the room.

"Do you like the princess type, who needs to be pampered?" asked Ami, she rested her head on Kyoya's chest and sighed. The clients and the rest of Ami's club turned to watch. She didn't get a reaction from Kyoya so she tried another, "No? Then the sultry mistress, who's begging you to punish her!" Ami threw Kyoya against the wall and her lips were just inches from his. The room swooned. Haruhi watched with curiosity, while Tamaki was waiting to see if Kyoya would elicit any type of reaction. Anything…at all.

Kyoya smirked. He lifted Ami's chin with one finger and lowered his head to hers. GASPS all around the room. "Why my dear," whispered Kyoya in his calming, cool, voice, "It's whatever you want it to be."

And somewhere in the distance, across the sea, and in Japan, the fans of Ouran's Host Club, fainted.

Ami pushed herself away from Kyoya and pouted. "You're no fun, Kyo." She scanned the room and could tell in an instant why kind of person everyone was interested in. Everyone but this damned four eyed, narcissistic, pain the neck, Kyoya. But never the less, Ami would keep her cool. She'd wear down Kyoya eventually and make him blush so hard he'd look like a ripe tomato!

"Amelie," came the gruff voice of Mori, she raised an eyebrow as he spoke, "What's your type?"

Ami grinned and slid over to Mori, "Why…everyone and everything…" she said with a sigh. Many of the girls in the room fainted and the boys turned beet red.

The day came to a close and the clients of the Entertainment Club went on their way one at a time. Margo and Tara sat with Mori, Honey, and Haruhi just to get to know them better. Honey had plowed through his fourth slice of cake and didn't seem to be stopping soon and Mori was being polite, as usual, and drinking the cup of coffee Tara had poured for him. The Hitachiin Twins were spending time with Ellie and Max and from what it looked like plotting something that would surely piss off Ami and Tamaki. Kyoya was walking around the room and probably cataloguing everything their club used, and well Tamaki and Ami were busy planning an event together that would bring everyone together for the New Year.

"How are you enjoying this little part of America?" Margo asked her new friends.

"Oh it's great!" said Haruhi, "I've been wanting to experience new things and so far this is a really good start."

"And the food is wonderful!" said Honey.

"Yeah." was the usual response from Mori.

"I do have to ask," said Haruhi, "Why did you guys start your own Host Club?"

Tara looked over at Ami who was flailing her arms around in excitement and she smiled, "For her, of course," said Tara, in her soft voice. "I've known Ami since were kids and she's always been the kind of person who has to go out of her way to make sure everything is running like clockwork. It's what her father does. He wants to make sure all of his clients are happy. So she does the same. When she heard about your club, she saw it as the perfect opportunity to spread some cheer around campus."

"So, Ami-Chan sees everyone as clients?" asked Honey, Kyoya stopped writing in his journal to listen to the conversation.

"Sort of," said Margo, "I haven't known her long, but from what I can tell, she's practicing for when she has to inherit the company."

"Has to?" asked Haruhi.

Tara nodded, "Ami's never known anything other than business. She was bred for it. She had to be the perfect woman, the perfect host, for everyone. I think it's part of her personality now though. She's always doing so much. I wonder if she ever remembers to just have fun…"

"You care about Ami-Chan a lot, don't you?" said Honey as he patted Tara on the hand.

Tara smiled and rubbed the back of her head out of embarrassment, "I mean, yeah of course I do! She's like a sister to me…I've always helped her when I can. To make things a little easier on her. I'm not as bold or loud as her, but I think she knows I try."

"To be perfectly honest," said Margo, "I didn't want to do this, but she was persistent. And annoying." Margo gave a small laugh, "She said that this would be good for me to make friends instead of admirers. And she was right. I find myself talking more and going out with people, I usually wouldn't have taken a second glance at."

"You guys made something wonderful, and it really does help people. I think that's what Ami saw in it, besides it being a really great business adventure." said Tara.

Kyoya pushed up his glasses and watched Ami as she and Tamaki started becoming the best of friends. He could see a familiar look in her eyes. One Tamaki used to have. But ever since Tamaki moved into the main house, he was happy to take over the family business. But Ami, she didn't have the air of someone who was looking forward to becoming the sole inheritor of a company. Maybe he misjudged her. Before she seemed like a proud, egotistical, show off, who knew where her place in this world was. Now Kyoya was something he hadn't been in a while…unsure.

SPLASH! Two buckets of water fell on Ami and Tamaki who then chased their twins around the room, yelling after them and calling them ruffians and scoundrels.


	5. Chapter 4: A Noble Cause

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Four: A Noble Cause

Class was dull, as usual.

Ami knew most of the mathematics the professor was going over and she didn't want to waste the time zoning out. So instead, she had her tablet out on her desk and was going through the records of all her friends and acquaintances. She pulled up Haruhi's photo and skimmed over the things she had read nearly a dozen times. From what the twins told Ami, over these past few weeks, Haruhi had really opened up since she discovered her feelings for Tamaki. Now that the two were together, she wanted to experience everything.

Ami flipped to a photo of Tara and stared at it. Tara needed what Haruhi had. Friends. For as long as Ami could remember, Tara had spent nearly every day with her. She had gone through every fully realized scheme Ami had ever invented, she been with her in her good days and her bad. Tara never argued, never complained, she just did as she was told. How boring was that?

Ami nodded as she pulled up a group text on her tablet, today she would start operation, _make Tara do what she really wants to do, not matter what, plan!_ It was a long name…maybe she should shorten it.

When class ended, Ami packed her bag and met up with Tara and Kyoya. "How as History class, Kyoya?" asked Ami.

"Fascinating," he said, "America has a deep history built on trade. I never knew how economic you all truly were here."

Ami smiled, "Maybe you could learn a thing or two."

Tara stepped aside to avoid the electric tension between the two. Though Ami and Kyoya were on good terms, it never stopped them from subtly attacking each other with their passive aggressive comments.

"You wanted to meet for coffee, Ami?" asked Tara.

"Oh!" said Ami, breaking her stare down with Kyoya, "Unfortunately I won't be able to make it. I'm so backed up with club meetings and—"

"Really?" asked Tara as she took out her planner, "I don't see any—"

"I said I'm busy!" snapped Ami, as she took Tara's planner away from her, "But any way…I was so excited to go shopping with Haruhi, but I'm afraid you'll have to do it on your own. Make me proud, my friend!" Before Tara could say anything, she was pushed toward the East part of the campus where the cafe was. She waved bye to Ami and made her way to meet with Haruhi.

"What are you planning?" asked Kyoya as they kept walking together.

"That's my little secret!" she said and booped him on the nose again.

"Please stop doing that." Kyoya said this as more of a demand than a question.

"Nope!" Ami replied and booped him again.

"Amelie."

She stopped dead in her tracks. Kyoya had to look over his shoulder before he noticed Ami wasn't walking with him anymore. Through the crowd of students he could see a figure standing still. It was a business woman, in professional attire, and sharp stiletto heels. She had brown hair, and a light brown skin tone, but even Kyoya could see the family resemblance. This was Mrs. Vivianne Noble. Amelie's mother.

Kyoya straightened his glasses and stood beside Ami. He bowed in respect to her mother and held out his hand, "Good morning, you must be Mrs. Noble. Allow me to introduce myself I'm —"

"Kyoya Ootori, the third son in line to inherit his father's health and wellness company. I know who you are. Amelie has told me all about you and your friends." Mrs. Noble's voice was sharp like a knife. Very much different from how Ami spoke. Ami was keeping her head and eyes down in front of her mother. "Stand straight, Amelie. Look alive." Ami did as she was told but didn't make eye contact. "Mr. Ootori, please give me a moment with my daughter, alone."

"Of course," said Kyoya. He politely took Ami's bag and walked over to a bench so he couldn't overhear what they were discussing. There was something wrong about this though. Ami wasn't smiling. She didn't seem cheerful. Her usual pink dress even seemed to lose it's color.

Mrs. Noble spoke to Ami with a straight face, and her eyes were like fire burning into her daughter. All Ami did was nod to whatever her mother said to her. When she finally did look up and speak, her mother's eyes constricted. Kyoya stood to his feet. He knew what was coming next—

SLAP!

The sound echoed through the courtyard. Many students stopped and watched the scene, as Ami took a few steps back and held her face. Kyoya caught her eye for only a second. There were tears. Mrs. Noble said a few more things to Ami, then turned, and left her alone. Kyoya rushed to Ami's side.

"Amelie…are you—"

"Would you look at the time!" said Ami, she looked up at Kyoya and smiled. He could see the tears still in her eyes that refused to fall. He could feel the heat of the slap on her face, as it paled into a red mark. "We should get to class before the bell tolls!" She took off, almost running, down the halls. She forgot her bag.

* * *

Tara and Haruhi were actually having a really good time together. Haruhi learned that Tara was really into video games and won a lot of competitions. Tara had a lot of interesting ideas for the Entertainment Club and Haruhi encouraged her to tell Ami who would probably appreciate them. Tara had suggested they try this great sushi place and although it wasn't real Japanese sushi, the owners were Japanese so maybe it would taste the same. Haruhi asked if they served fancy tuna and Tara didn't know what that was but she did say they had really high grade quality tuna.

Just as they were about to order, two sly foxes appeared out of the shadows. Hikaru and Kaoru. "Hi ladies," said the twins.

"What are you two doing here?" Haruhi asked, she glared at the twins as they made themselves comfortable.

"Our class got cancelled so we decided to follow you around." said Hikaru.

"But then we got bored so we decided to just come here and have lunch with you." said Kaoru. He smiled at Tara who immediately withdrew back into her shell and sipped on her water.

"Can't you two just go?" asked Haruhi, "Tara-Senpai and I were just getting to know each other."

"Then we can all get to know each other!" the Twins said.

"Tell us Tara, how rich is your family?" asked the twins, "Haruhi's family is pretty poor!"

"Um…" Tara shifted in her seat and thankfully the waiter arrived and she ordered her food as well as ordered for Haruhi. The twins placed their order in Japanese and then all they had to do was wait.

* * *

Kyoya wandered the halls in search of Ami. He checked all of her classes but the professors said she had called in sick but managed to turn in all of her homework anyway. Kyoya decided to text her but didn't receive a response and normally Ami was very quick to text back. He walked on, carrying her bag, until he came across the school gymnasium. Ami sometimes spent her time in there, perhaps she'd be inside. If she wasn't, he'd check her dorm room.

Once inside, Kyoya made his way through the steam and sweat and he looked completely out of place amongst the guys and girls who were working out. He ignored their sideways glances and made his way to the Den, where the boxing ring and dummies were. And there she was, laying out hit after hit on a punching bag. He opened the door and tossed her bag over his shoulder, he still had to keep his cool demeanor. But before Kyoya could say anything, Mori walked out of the locker rooms and steadied the punching bag for Ami.

Things seemed to be taken care of. Kyoya placed Ami's bag down and left. Mori looked up only briefly but he saw Kyoya and watched as he walked away.

* * *

Haruhi watched Tara recede further into herself as the twins began to take over the conversation. Dinner went by and Haruhi never had the chance to eat her fancy tuna because the twins tried to feed it to Tara who blushed and ran away. She was fast because by the time Haruhi caught up with her, she was three blocks away.

"Are you…on the track team?" Haruhi asked, huffing and puffing as she slowed her pace.

"Sorry, Haruhi," said Tara, she raised the collar of her shirt to cover her burning hot cheeks, "I'm just…no good around a lot of people. Especially ones who invade personal space so much."

Haruhi laughed, "Yeah, that's the twins for you. They're really nice guys when you get passed the evil glint in their eyes and annoying tricks they play."

"Annoying!?"

Yet, again, the twins appeared and Tara panicked and tried to run. Haruhi grabbed her by the collar and yanked her back. "Will you two, please stop scaring Tara-Senpai? We're trying to have a nice day out. So stop acting like stuck up, rich kids!"

"We are stuck up rich kids." said Hikaru.

"Well how about we talk about something that makes you feel comfortable, Tara-chan?" asked Kaoru. He smiled down at her and she looked at Haruhi who nodded and finally let her go.

"Um…I like…video games." said Tara.

"Oh yeah?" Kaoru went on, "Like what? I usually don't have time to play games, but American games look super fun!"

Tara lit up a little, "There's all kinds of games. Ones for your phone, on the nintendo from Japan, I actually really like JRPG's. The stories are amazing! I feel like a whole new person!"

Hikaru rolled his eyes and leaned on Haruhi as Tara went on to talk about what she loved most about things Hikaru didn't care about. He did watch Kaoru closely though. Kaoru was being more talkative than he usually was. Especially to someone he wasn't all that close to.

"How about we get coffee or something? It's a little cold don't you think?" said Hikaru as he grabbed Kaoru by the arm and started walking. Tara looked surprised for a moment, but relaxed as Kaoru turned and took her by the hand. "Coffee sounds great. Take us to your favorite place, Tara-chan!" he said. Haruhi followed after everyone but she kept her attention on Hikaru. He was one who got jealous easily and she didn't want him ruining this day for her. Especially now that Haruhi was starting to make friends who weren't all boys.

Tara finally started to relax and she took the group to all of her favorite places nearby. There was an outdoor shopping center that had dozens of shops on multiple levels. Haruhi found a few little trinkets she was sure Tamaki would like and the twins visited the small boutiques to check out the clothes.

"Hey Tara!" Kaoru called to her from the second floor and she took the escalator up to meet him. "Wouldn't you look adorable in this!" he pulled out a dress that was mostly white lace with long sleeves, "You'd look like a princess!"

"Oh…um…" Tara wasn't sure how to respond. Ami tried to make her dress like that for the Entertainment Club now and again, she said it'd help her image. Tara thought of the memory and laughed, "Yeah! Sure."

Kaoru wasn't expecting that response. He thought he'd have another Haruhi. Still, he looked at the dress, and then back at Tara, and then back to the dress, then said, "We'll have to do something with your hair. Ponytails are cute once in a while, but you should really let it down—"

"Like this?" Tara took her hair out of her thick ponytail and let it fall over her shoulders. "Ami says things like this all the time. I'm more comfortable when my hair isn't in my face, but if you'd like to see it, then it's no problem, Kao-chan."

Kaoru's face turned red and he abandoned the clothes and found Hikaru just a few stores down, leaving Tara in a confused state. "Hikaru…she called me Kao-chan…"

"What!?" Hikaru exclaimed, "She can't call you that, it's too cutesy! And she is not a cutesy girl! Look at her! She's totally plain!"

Tara was pinning her hair back up and looking around until she found Haruhi who had a small bag in her hand of all the things she picked up for Tamaki.

"Yeah…plain…" said Kaoru as he watched Tara talk and smile. "Her freckles are kinda cute though…"

"Ooooh…" Hikaru clapped his hands together when the light came on, "You have a crush on her!"

"What? No way, we only just met her. She could be boring…" said Kaoru, though he didn't sound convinced of his own words.

"Maybe boring is your type," said Hikaru, "Look, I'll try not to be as jealous as I was before. We've grown up, I've got brown hair now," he winked and pushed Kaoru out of his hiding spot in the store, "You even said it yourself, brother. We have to explore different things, so we can be more open. I'll distract Haruhi and you go get to know the plain looking, American girl!"

"Hika…" Kaoru reached out for his brother, but Hikaru was already pulling Haruhi away by the arm and she was putting up quite a fight.

* * *

At the end of the day, Kyoya couldn't help but lose focus during his business class. Although the American art of economics and trade interested him, he just couldn't bring himself to care. And this bothered him. The entire time all he could think about was, Ami. Did she call Mori-Senpai to spar with her? Was she alright? Why did her mother slap her? As far as Kyoya knew, Ami was at the top of the class with Kyoya just points behind her…for now. She'd be running for class president in a few weeks, and she had raving reviews from all her instructors and the club mentors.

Before he knew it, the school bell rang and everyone was packing up to go. Kyoya received a text that The Entertainment Club would not be having tea this week. He grabbed his bag and walked out of the classroom. Honey left his classroom and started walking with Kyoya back to the dorms.

"It's weird being back in school like this," said Honey, "But I think Takashi and I are having a great time!" Honey took out his phone and finally saw the text, "No E-Club this week? Do you know why Kyo-Chan?"

"Something's come up in Amelie's schedule," said Kyoya, he smiled down at Honey and pushed his glasses up, "But I'm sure everything will be back on track for next week."

Kyoya walked ahead and Honey stopped and waited for Mori to meet up with him. "Something's wrong." said Honey. "Yeah…" Mori said softly.

Finally arriving at the dorms, Kyoya headed up to the fourth floor and knocked on Ami's door. He heard her shuffling feet and then panicked. Why was he here? Did he care about her that much? He'd only known her for a few weeks and they were friends…not close friends… or maybe they were…

The door opened a crack and it was enough for Kyoya to see Ami was in a giant pink hooded sweatshirt, with glasses that covered most of her face. Her hair was a mess and not it's usual combed, curly, style, and she had a very large high top pony tail that poofed out in several directions. There were also tears in her eyes.

SLAM!

"Amelie, I promise I won't laugh." Said Kyoya, though he was having trouble not laughing at how she dressed when alone.

"Go away!" she called through the door.

Kyoya cleared his throat and decided to be serious, "Amelie, please. I just wanted to see if you had the assignment for calculus?"

She opened the door again and gave him a quizzical look, "Are you serious?"

"Yes," said Kyoya, he pushed the door open and walked into her room, "You missed that class I assume, and we had gotten into the habit of combining notes."

Amelie's room was, of course, very pink, with flowers and stuffed animals all over the place. Kyoya wandered over to her bookcase and was surprised to see such authors as Shakespeare, Dante Alighieri, and Jane Austin. She had many sets of manga and graphic novels, but almost all of her books were about succeeding in business or science fiction novels.

"I don't have the assignment but I'm well caught up in the class." She watched Kyoya as he examined her room. No one was allowed in here and his extended time made Ami more and more anxious.

"I too enjoy the works of Shakespeare," said Kyoya as he picked up one of her books, "King Lear hits a little close to home."

"A tale of a King descending into madness and forcing his three children to fight for his throne…Yes, I can see why _you_ would understand the plight of the children." Amelie sat on her bed and looked out of her window, "The Tempest is my favorite."

"Magic?" asked Kyoya, "You're a fanciful dreamer."

"No…it's about a disgraced father who wants his daughter to take a throne she wants nothing to do with."

Kyoya sat down next to Ami and handed her his notebook, "I've found it's times like these, that putting myself into my studies and having a nice cup of coffee sets me at ease." He held his hand out to Ami and sighed, "Let's go. You clearly need some air."

Kyoya was surprised that Ami had thrown herself into his arms. He could feel her shaking as she cried. He hugged her and caressed her head. "What do you do when you only have the illusion of freedom?" she asked once she finished crying.

This was a question he asked himself over and over, "The same thing you do, when you can't paint the perfect picture in a frame that's been set for you…" he said, he lifted her chin and smiled at her, "You break out."

They held each other's gaze for a long moment and Kyoya felt his heart skip a beat. The action startled him so he turned away from Ami and waved his hand at her, "Now make yourself look proper before we go. I can't have a disheveled woman walking beside me, what would people think?" He then walked toward the door and before he shut it, he heard…

"Thank you, Kyoya."

He paused and said, "You're welcome."

* * *

Tara and Kaoru had searched all over to Hikaru and Haruhi but couldn't find them, but after some time they eventually forgot that they were looking for their friends. They started stopping by every popup shop that came across and started talking about what they were studying and what they wanted to do in college. Kaoru found out that Tara wanted to start her own video game company that hired it's majority of workers to be women. She'd either go to Canada or England to study it, somewhere where all the big name companies were. Kaoru wanted to study art and fashion, but he wasn't quite sure where. He'd go where ever Hikaru took him.

"I think it's great you two have such a strong relationship," said Tara, "My sister and I aren't that close."

"You have a sister?" asked Kaoru, "Does she go here?"

She shook her head, "No, she wanted to stay in California. To be honest, I only came out here because Ami said it'd be a good idea. It'd help me find who I wanted to be."

"You care a lot about Ami-Chan, huh?"

"She's my best friend. I'd do anything for her. I know a lot of people think that she bosses me around and I just take it, but…it's not like that. I love doing things for her and she does a lot for me, even though it doesn't look like it."

"When's your birthday, Tara-Chan?" asked Kaoru.

"My—my birthday?" Tara blushed, "It's…in December. December 23rd."

"Great. I'll take you out on a date then." Kaoru gave her a big smile and Tara laughed and touched his arm.

"You're ridiculous, you know that?" she asked. Just as Kaoru was about to say something she looked across the street and saw Ami and Kyoya having coffee together. She tugged at Kaoru's sleeve and pointed, "Look! They're actually not killing each other!"

From behind Kaoru and Tara, Hikaru and Haruhi hid inside of a bakery to watch them. "I don't understand why we have to watch them if they should be alone…" said Haruhi, in her usual drull voice, "And I should get back before Tamaki-Senpai—"

"He's your boyfriend!" Hikaru said and bopped her on the head, "You shouldn't call him Senpai. Besides I've been texting him pictures of us this entire time." Hikaru grinned and Haruhi took out her phone and saw over a dozen texts from Tamaki begging her not to leave him and that he loved her etc…Haruhi sighed. "Besides," said Hikaru, he pointed to the cafe across the street, "We've got a much more interesting plot developing across the street."

The winds were changing. It was getting colder and the leaves were falling. Scarves were coming out and coffee just seemed right. Ami sipped on her pumpkin latte and listened to Kyoya go on and on about Japanese art, since it was coming up on their next art history exam. There was something about this…the coffee, the weather, the company…that just seemed…

Right.


	6. Chapter 5: A Mountain Retreat!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Five: A Mountain Retreat!

October was coming to an end and Ami was really enjoying her time at school. Far more than usual, which made her take some alone time to figure out what had changed. It could have been her relationship to the Host Club. Tamaki had become like a brother to her and he had made so many of the E-Club's events even bigger and brighter than they usually were. Sure the finances were a bit troubling, Ami had missed a lot of sleep trying to afford everything Tamaki wanted, but with help from Kyoya they were able to do everything flawlessly.

A school break was coming up and she'd have the entire weekend with Tara and Andie and they'd eat cake, watch scary movies, and take a walk through the woods in her father's mountain retreat. It'd be a great time to finally relax. Mid-terms were just around the corner and Ami liked to take this part of the semester to meditate and focus.

 _Teenage Dream_ by Katy Perry started ringing from her phone and Ami looked to see that her father was calling, "Hi, Papa!"

"Hi sweetheart. How are you?" asked her father.

"Great, I'm just sitting in the courtyard having a coffee."

"That's good, you're studies are up?"

"Top of the class, as always!"

"Great! Look sweetie, I'll skip straight to the point. Your mother thinks it'll be a good idea to take all of your Japanese friends to the retreat."

"Uh…really?" she asked, "I was thinking it would just be me and—"

"Your friends, I know. But, considering the company you keep, we think this could be a beneficial relationship with the Ootori's."

"Because of their health company."

"Exactly. Their hospitals and spas are the best there are. We could use Japanese spa techniques in our hotels and resorts, you understand!"

Ami covered her phone, sighed, and shut her eyes before she responded in a happy and chipper voice, "Of course, Daddy. Anything for you!"

"That's my girl! Maybe I'll stop by to introduce myself to your friends. I'll see you over the weekend. Love you!"

"Love you too."

* * *

"A mountain resort?" asked Tamaki, "You mean for skiing?"

"No, not that kind of resort," said Ami. She passed out pamphlets to everyone, "It's closed for the season but the staff lives there so we'll get the whole place to ourselves! It has beautiful hiking trails, a reserve where you can see deer and bears and beautiful birds, and a giant fire pit so we can make s'mores!"

"S'mores!" exclaimed Honey, "I've always wanted to make those! We have to go! Ha, Tama-Chan?"

Tamaki thought for a moment, "I don't know…normally I'd say yes, but we should focus on school."

"It might be really fun," said Haruhi, and Tamaki flipped his opinion instantly.

"Then we should go! We can take a hour a day to study as a group!"

"Well I'm sure you all will have fun, but I think I'll stay and keep to my studies," said Kyoya.

"That's a shame, my father was really looking forward to talking to you…" sighed Ami, she turned her back and smirked when she caught Kyoya's attention.

"Well maybe we could take some time to study."

The rest of the Hosts cheered and left to their rooms to pack. Tara, who had blended in within the group, stayed until it was just her and Ami.

"Are you going to be ok, Ami?" asked Tara, "I know you need some TLC when you get stressed."

"It's ok!" said Ami, she patted Tara on the head, "You and Andie will still be there and we'll still have our snacks and movies…just with…seven other people." For a brief moment she let the stress take over and her eyes constricted, Tara didn't miss it. "Time to pack."

The weekend came faster than Ami had wanted it too and soon she and her friends were piling in a car her father had sent for them and were driving away from the city. She did her best to smile and act like everything was ok. She had to, her father was counting on her. If she didn't keep her friends happy, she couldn't keep her father happy, and that would make her mother unhappy.

* * *

After a three hour drive, they arrived to the gated pathway that led to The Noble Resort. The staff was already outside on the steps and greeted everyone with deep bows. They took the luggage and headed inside and told them that dinner would be prepared within the hour.

"Hey Ami!" Andie grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the group. Tara motioned to them to sneak away to the other side of the mansion. Ami grinned and the three ran off an disappeared down a winding path. "The hot tub should be heated up by now! And we already have your favorite book and a cup of pumpkin cocoa waiting for you."

"You guys…" Ami almost teared up and she hugged her two best friends, "You're so nice to me."

Andie bopped Ami on the head and looked at her seriously, "Of course we are, you dumb butt! You're our best friend. We can tell when you're down, despite how well you try to hide it."

"Now go get changed and we'll meet you at the hot tub!" said Tara.

And just as they said, the hot tub was bubbling and steaming and waiting for Ami and a staff member stood beside it with a hot glass of cocoa, Andie's specialty pumpkin cocoa she made for Ami in the fall. Ami slid down into the hot water and gave a loud sigh of relief. She took her cocoa and snuggled deep against the jets. Moments later she was joined by Tara and Andie who had their own cups to drink.

"We've already picked out the movie, we're gonna watch tonight." said Tara.

"It's a real good scary one!" said Andie, "Only the best reviews."

"You're going to scream like you always do," said Ami and she laughed as Andie blushed out of embarrassment.

"Not true! Last time I closed my eyes!" she responded.

"I didn't know we were watching a movie tonight," said Tamaki as he joined everyone in the hot tub. It wasn't long until the rest of the host club all piled in, making it a very tight squeeze. Andie was pushed against Mori who gave her more room by placing his arm around her. She nearly sunk into the water to hide how hot her face had gotten. "I'd love to watch a movie!" said Tamaki, "I haven't seen too many American ones."

"Senpai you'd just get scared and cry all night," said the Twins.

"I WOULD NOT!" yelled Tamaki and the twins proceeded to make fun of him.

"That stuff is all special effects, there's nothing to be scared about," said Haruhi.

"If you get scared Ami-Chan, I'll protect you!" said Honey as he kicked to keep himself afloat in the center of the hot tub. He looked at her but then realized she was gone… "Huh?"

"Where'd she go?" asked Haruhi.

* * *

Ami dried herself off in her room and collapsed onto her bed. She picked up her stuffed fox, Mochi, and hugged him tight. She had to get through this weekend. Her father would be arriving on Sunday before they left so he could meet everyone and Ami had to get her head focused. She should be lucky to have so many close friends! She could take this time to schedule one on one time with everyone and get to know them. That's it! If she couldn't have it just be her, Tara, and Andie, she could at least do what she did best and make a plan! Starting tomorrow, Ami would be the best host she could be!

* * *

Tamaki was an early riser but he was able to keep up with Ami as she jogged through the woods. She found out about how he and Haruhi finally got together and how he saw his mother after nearly ten years of being away from her. It brought Ami to tears and she was very happy she took the time to get to know him.

Once she finished with Tamaki she took a shower and then met up with Honey, Mori, and Andie. Andie had spent the morning making delicious pancakes which Honey had never tried before. He had lots of berries and cream on top and Mori simply had plain pancakes but he smiled after he bit into them. Ami had a small stack with strawberries and powdered sugar. Kyoya walked by and Andie offered him a plate.

"Oh no thank you. I've no interest in sweets. Some of us like to remain healthy…" he said while looking at Ami.

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Ami snapped at him. Kyoya chuckled and moved on his way.

"Kyo-Chan, likes to get under your skin, Ami-chan!" Said Honey.

Finally it was the twins turn and they wanted to go horseback riding with Ami and Tara. It was a wonderful trek up to the top of the hills. In the distance clouds were forming and Ami made a mental note to to tell the staff to keep the backup generators prepared. A storm was coming.

Ami had time to spend with Kyoya but because of his comment in the morning she instead bumped up Haruhi's time and the two went for a walk through the garden and down to the lake. They skipped rocks and Ami asked Haruhi if she had any idea what she wanted to do in the future.

"I want to be a lawyer," said Haruhi, "My mom was a great lawyer and she always made people happy. I want to do that too. Even if I don't win every case…at least I tried my hardest."

Ami knelt down and watched some of the smaller fish swim around the edge of the lake. She placed her finger in and some of them scattered, but a pretty lavender fish swam back and inspected her finger.

"Haruhi…you're amazing." said Ami. Haruhi looked over at her, "I wish I could have a dream like that."

"A…dream?" asked Haruhi, "But…Ami-Senpai, isn't your dream to run your father's company?"

"I was told it was…" said Ami. She looked in the water and a light pink fish swam over. It circled around and around her finger. "I was raised by my mother to be the woman that all the men wanted and the business partner everyone needed. I'm a product of perfect breeding…"

Haruhi had heard those words before. Kyoya-Senpai had said them when they were shopping at the expo a few years ago. It was the saddest thing she had ever heard, and twice as sad as she could imagine a young Ami-Chan obeying every command of her parents. A young Ami who sat alone in her room, doing homework until late in the night. A young Ami who wanted to play with all the other children her age, but was told to sit and smile, like nothing in the world could bother her.

Ami was surprised when Haruhi knelt beside her in the water and gave her a hug. It was a tight, sincere, hug, and it melted her heart. Perhaps this weekend wouldn't be so bad. "You'll find your dream, Ami-Senpai," said Haruhi, she then looked up and smiled, "And the host club will help you do it."

"That's so sweet, Haruhi," said Ami, she laughed and then laughed again. She couldn't stop and it made her fall over in the water, "You're all so wonderfully optimistic!"

BOOM!

Haruhi froze in her place.

Ami looked up and saw that they didn't notice the rain clouds had come in. The thunder came first and not soon after came the rain. Ami stood and held her hand out to Haruhi.

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked, "I'm terrified of the dark. Let's get back before we get caught in the worst of this!"

Haruhi quickly grabbed Ami's hand and the two ran up the hill toward the estate. The thunder grew louder but as it did, Ami kept laughing. It made Haruhi laugh which distracted her. They splashed and jumped into puddles, almost like children would do. There seemed to be real, pure, happiness, emanating from Ami.

"Let's take a short cut!" called Ami over the pouring rain and the booms of the thunder. The short cut was through the undeveloped part of the resort, but Haruhi trusted that Ami knew her way. They were very close to the building, they could see the lights in the distance. Haruhi got too excited and let go of Ami's hand.

"Haruhi no!" yelled Ami, she chased after her. She was headed for the unstable part of the land. And it was getting harder to fight through the mud. This was the worse storm Ami had seen up here in years. Lightening struck and Haruhi stopped in her tracks. The thunder had finally gotten to her. She could just barely hear her name being called, and suddenly…she was falling. "HARUHI!"

* * *

"We should go out and look for them!" said Tamaki, he was pacing back and forth, "Haruhi is terrified of storms."

"I just tried calling Ami," said Tara, it was dark outside and she knew Ami couldn't be out there alone, not in the dark. "Her phone isn't picking up."

"Should we call the security staff?" asked Andie, "There's no way we can get out there and make it far."

"HELP!" Everyone stood to their feet and saw Haruhi covered in mud making her way through the foyer. She fell to her knees and was dripping wet and her voice was shaking. "Ami-Senpai…she—she—she fell! Back in the woods!"

Mori was out of the door in seconds.

"Where did she fall?" asked Kyoya, the urgency was clear in his voice.

"I don't know. It was dark. And the storm. She saved me!"

"Where, Haruhi? Damnit, tell us where!"

Haruhi looked up at Kyoya and saw the fear behind his glasses.

"In the undeveloped part of the estate. She said it was a short cut."

"Tamaki, get Haruhi upstairs and keep her safe. Hikaru, Kaoru, call the security team. Tara, call the police, she may be injured and we need them here immediately!"

"What should I do?" asked Andie and Honey.

"If Amelie is safe, then she'll need something to comfort her. Do your best to put that together." Kyoya said.

"Rodger!" said Honey and Andie.

Everyone went off to do their tasks. Kyoya found a flashlight and an umbrella and rolled up his pants to walk out to the part of the estate that Haruhi mentioned. Those stupid girls, he thought, how could they lose track of time? How did they not see the storm coming?

* * *

Her ankle was either broken or twisted. But Ami couldn't feel very much of it to find out. Her legs were buried in mud and she couldn't pull herself out of the ditch she had fallen into. Haruhi had stood on the edge of the estate where there wasn't cement. The mud had fallen beneath her and Ami did what she thought was best. She grabbed Haruhi and threw her into the mud while Ami took the fall.

It was dark and cold, and the rain kept falling down on her and there was nothing she could do. She didn't know if she was shivering from the cold or the fear. Everywhere around her, something was moving, and she couldn't see what it was. She wanted her bed. She wanted her father. She wanted him to sing her the song he always did when it was dark. That stupid song he made up for her, and somehow never forgot it.

"Little Amelie…" she whispered to herself, trying to keep her eyes closed and remember the song, "Sleep tight well tonight. The sun is sleeping too and will wake you with its light. But if you're feeling lonely, and you miss it very much, here I am to hold you, with a little light to touch. Sleep well, little Amelie. Keep warm and don't you fret. There's nothing here to harm you, because here you're well safe kept."

"Amelie…"

She opened her eyes and Mori was kneeling down with his hand outstretched. Ami was so happy to see someone, she started to cry. She reached up to Mori but her legs were still trapped. "I can't move," she said. "The mud is too thick."

Mori jumped down into the hole and began to dig her out. Ami could feel his determination to get her out and she felt warm now. Safe and warm. Finally the mud started moving and she could move her legs. But as she predicted, her ankle was hurt. So Mori scooped her up in his arms and helped her out of the hole and then pulled himself out.

"Are you ok?" he asked her.

"Better now…" said Ami.

He picked her back up in her arms and started carrying her to the estate. A flashlight fell on the both of them and Ami could see Kyoya beyond it. "Quickly, there's an ambulance here." He turned on his heel and Mori followed him. They did all of this…for me…thought Ami, and she let the rain cover up her tears.

* * *

"Come now, everyone, it's only sprained!" said Ami, as Mori, yet again, carried her to the dining room. Honey had pulled out a chair for her and Tara and Andie were piling her plate filled with food. Haruhi sat next to Ami and reached for anything that she needed.

"You wouldn't have hurt yourself, if I hadn't run off," said Haruhi who tried to spoon feed her. Ami pushed the food away.

"You're all embarrassing me with this treatment. I'm fine, really." She looked over at Kyoya who was calmly eating his eggs benedict, "If it wasn't for Takashi and Kyoya, I wouldn't have gotten out of there. I'm in your debt."

"It was nothing, really," said Kyoya, "I just did what any rational person would have done."

"Yeah…" said Mori.

"Rational?" asked the others.

Their imaginations collided and they specifically remembered Kyoya yelling at everyone and Mori stampeding through the mud to find Ami. They looked at each other and giggled, and decided to keep the memory to theirselves.

"I WANTED THE CONTRACTORS HERE YESTERDAY!" came the booming deep voice of Mr. Terrance Noble. "Where's my baby!?"

"In the dining hall, Mr. Noble," replied the servants to came to greet him.

He tossed open the double glass doors and his eyes lit up when he saw Ami sitting with her leg propped up on Andie's leg. He was brought to tears immediately and scooped Ami up in his arms and hugged her tight.

"My one and only daughter, my treasure, my diamond!" he squeezed her tight, "I could have lost you! I'm suing the contractors if they don't get this resort finished up by the end of the week! How careless of them! I was told it was going to be finished weeks ago! I would have never let you come up here if I had known it was a death trap!" said her father all in one breath, "Do you forgive, Daddy? How about if I buy you a new horsey, hmm?!"

"YAY!" cheered Ami as her father swung her around and around. Kyoya's hopes of meeting a professional businessman had been squashed when he saw the six foot tall man, swoon over his daughter.

"Look at this injury! Will it leave a scar?" he asked Ami as he looked at her ankle boot.

"I just won't be able to walk on it for a while, Daddy." said Ami.

He sank to his knees in despair, "What a cruel world to do this to such a young, able bodied, princess, as mine."

"Well now we know where Ami gets her showmanship from…" whispered Haruhi to Tamaki.

"Such a caring and devoted, Daddy…" said Tamaki, who was brought to tears. Haruhi rolled her eyes, "I'm going to be a Daddy just like him, someday, Haruhi! I promise you!"

Mr. Noble helped Ami back into her chair and looked around the room, "My apologies everyone. I just had to see how my darling girl was holding up. Allow me to introduce myself…" Mr. Noble flipped his black hair out of his face and smiled. It nearly blinded everyone how perfect he could become in just seconds. "I'm Terrance Noble, CEO and Founder of the Noble Entertainment Company. You might have seen our crest around…" he motioned to the room that everyone just now noticed was stamped with the Noble crest which was: a gold and blue banner with a crown encircling a dragon on it. "It represents our status as both wealthy people and protectors of what's ours." He was a very charming man when he wasn't worrying about his daughter. Now, everyone could see, who Ami took after. "There are so many of you, please allow me the time today, to speak with you individually so that I may get to know my daughters new friends and saviors," he winked at everyone, "Except for Andie and Tara, I already know you."

"Thanks Mr. N," said the two with much lackluster.

* * *

Mr. Noble restricted much of Ami's mobility by confining her to a wheelchair for the rest of the weekend. She rolled herself from room to room and watched as her friends spent their time outside. Their orders were to not engage Ami and let her stay in to heal. It brought tears to their eyes when they saw press her hand against the window.

"We must look away!" said Tamaki, "It's her father's wishes!" And they turned her back to her which felt like she took an arrow straight to the chest.

When it was Kyoya's turn to meet with Mr. Noble he walked into his office with a calm demeanor.

"Kyoya!" exclaimed Mr. Noble. He swept Kyoya into a hug and dragged him to the computer at his desk. "Look how adorably morose my little girl looks."

On the computer was security footage of Ami rolling around with a black cloud looming over her. She looked right up at the security camera and glared and her father froze for a moment. She then rolled on her way.

"Um…sir?" asked Kyoya.

Mr. Noble stood up straight and smiled at Kyoya, "So I'm told you were the one who organized the little rescue mission, eh?"

Kyoya bowed to Mr. Noble, "It was nothing sir, really—"

"You've been raised to act humble," said Mr. Noble, this shocked Kyoya who looked him in the eyes, "I know that, because it's exactly what Amelie would do." Mr. Noble sat and motioned for Kyoya to do the same and sit across from him. "I know a businessman when I see one, Kyoya. But you…Kyoya. You're not a businessman." Kyoya frowned, "Not yet at least. Amelie has told me what you do for your little club and I think it's a great start. But you have interests in becoming the head of your family which if I'm correct, is Hospital Finances."

"Yes, sir."

Mr. Noble stroked his chin for a moment and studied this young boy who looked too serious. "You're studying business in Bizu right?" Again Kyoya nodded, "Well, I happen to have a position opening up at my company by the time you all graduate. That is…if you'd like to impress your family."

"Sir?"

"I'm the youngest of three sons, I know what it's like to claw your way to the top. But while your brothers are getting ahead in Japan, why not start your own business in America with the Ootori name?"

"I hadn't thought of that…" said Kyoya, he smiled, "That would be quite impressive."

"Think about it. And while you do, try and show me what you can do. Show me who Kyoya Ootori is."

Kyoya felt lighter than air as she exited the office. He was glad he came on this trip. He walked down the staircase but stopped when he heard the faint sound of a violin being accompanied by a piano. He followed the music until he came to the show room. Everyone had come inside to listen to Ami play the violin and Tamaki joined in by playing the piano with her. It wasn't something Kyoya had heard before. It was soft, yet powerful. Tamaki seemed to just go with it. It was an original piece.

Mori sat at the bottom of the stage with his eyes closed. For some reason, Kyoya could only remember seeing him hold onto Ami last night. How she clung to Mori. He pushed up his glasses and sat in the back of the room. Ami saw him and smiled. Kyoya looked away, but he did smile.


	7. Omake: Andie in the Kitchen!

**Omake!**

 **Andie in the kitchen**

 ***This is not a standalone chapter. Please read the original Ouran fan fictions before reading this, so you're all caught up 3**

 ***Omake means "bonus chapter" in most Mangas 3**

Today was a good day.

Andie had dressed in her best blue dress and grabbed her apron and her prep bag. It was an early Sunday morning and so everyone in the dorms were either asleep or studying. Lucky for Andie that meant that the student kitchens would be completely empty.

Once inside she rolled out her bag and revealed all of her high end, expensive, top notch equipment. Stainless steel was her favorite to cook with, but there was one thing, her spoon that she never cooked without. It was a family heirloom that she thought had been lost. Her mother sent it to her after her first semester to wish her luck in her studies.

And what luck it gave her. She met Tara and Ami during her first week and became best friends with them almost instantly. Her father's business picked up because Ami introduced him to her father and it had been quite some time since Andie had seen him smile like that. She was second in her class, next to a girl named Sarah who baked one mean eclair.

Today, Andie would be baking a special cake to surprise Ami for getting her cast off. It would be in the shape of a pink stiletto and she knew Ami would absolutely love it. Now all she had to do was start!

"Andie-Chan!"

Andie turned to see Honey and Mori entering the kitchen. Both were still in their pajamas…well Honey was in his pajamas, Mori was shirtless and this made Ami blush the longer she looked at him. He was a very fit, very tall, handsome young man. She had to force herself to stop looking at him.

"Good morning, Honey, Good morning Mori." The two stood over her and watched her as she started cracking eggs. It was like she was on autopilot. "Can I…help you two?"

"I want to help bake the cake!" said Honey. He batted his big eyes at her.

"Ha! Ok, Honey. Here, you can whisk everything."

"What can I do?" asked Mori.

"Oh!" Andie had to look around and then she handed the measuring cup to Mori, "We'll need perfect measurements. Can you do that?"

"Yeah…" said Mori.

Andie smiled and then got ready to get everything together. She was happy that this might go a little faster than usual. Until…

"Whoops!"

Honey was covered in egg and flour and Andie sighed. Maybe this would take twice as long, actually.

Two hours later with a many restarts and half eaten batter, they finally had a cake and Andie managed to frost the cake and slapped together a smaller one for Honey to eat on his own. Finally it was nearly 10am and she needed the cake to cool just a little. She placed it in the fridge and sat down, exhausted.

"Here…"

Mori placed an apple in front of Andie and she saw that he had plucked it from the apple tree outside of the window. She blushed again as Mori smiled at her and sat beside her while Honey enjoyed his miniature cake.

"Thanks for helping me," said Andie, even though it took twice as long, she thought.

"We want to try and be more involved while we're here," said Mori. "It's only a year."

Andie took a bite from her apple and thought about what he said, "Yeah but also…it's only a year!" she smiled, "That's a lot of time."

Mori placed his hands over Andie's and she turned completely red. It took her a moment to realize that he took the apple and cracked it in half with his bare hands. He handed one half to Andie and put it up to her lips. If she had gotten any redder she would have melted. She took a bite and then took the apple from Mori, who bit into his own apple.

"You're right," said Mori, "It's a lot of time."


	8. Chapter 6: The Halloween Dance!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Six: The Halloween Dance!

It was the Entertainment Clubs favorite time of the year!

With Tamaki's help, they decided throw a very big costume ball! There'd be a competition for the best costume, both single, group and couples. Ami spent most of her time devising a costume for Haruhi and Tamaki and it ended up being a Princess and her King, by Tamaki's request. Haruhi had extensions put in to make her look even more adorable then she already was and Ami just wanted to hug her all night. But alas, she had to prepare her own costume.

Ami's father had flown in a special Italian designer to give her the best of the best. She would go as an Angel with actual wings that extended and a halo that would glow at the click of a button. Her dress was a mix of lace and silk and created the perfect silhouette and her shoes were a sparkling silver that would give Dorothy of Oz a run for her money. Tonight would be a night of fun and dancing, especially now that Ami's ankle brace was off. She'd have to take it easy.

A knock on her dorm door, drew Ami's attention and she pranced over to open it. To her surprise, Mori, dressed as a knight, stood outside her door with a rose in his hand. He bowed and handed it to her.

"Why Takashi…" Ami was in awe, "Are you asking me to the dance?"

He nodded, "Will you go with me?"

Kyoya walked passed the door at that moment and Ami met his eye for only a second. He was dressed as the devil. A perfect choice, if Ami had any say in it. She looked back at Mori and smiled, "Of course, my handsome knight!"

The ballroom was decorated from floor to ceiling and the special effects the twins put together were outstanding. There was fog, flying ghosts, and scary projections on the walls. Many of the hosts from the Entertainment Club were surrounded by guys and girls begging for a dance. The music was loud, the atmosphere was wild, and everyone was having the time of their life. Well…everyone but Kyoya.

Kyoya leaned against a wall typing into his phone. He was completely disinterested in the dance and was honestly contemplating why he was still here. All over the room he could see his friends having fun. Honey was on his tablet, having a video call with his girlfriend, Kanazuki from the black magic club. It was her favorite holiday after all. Tamaki and Haruhi were dancing together and Tamaki actually seemed shy. He was blushing while watching his feet, trying not to step on Haruhi's beautiful dress. The Twins were together with Tara, Max, and Ellie, who were a group of 18th century Lords and Ladies. Andie was a vampire and serving her themed cakes and drinks. The only people Kyoya couldn't see, were Ami and Mori.

"Kyoya! Mon Ami!"

Kyoya's discontented sigh didn't divert Tamaki who placed his arm around him, "You don't seem to be having fun."

Of course, Tamaki was right. Why on earth would Kyoya have fun at something like this? There was nothing for him to do. Nothing to gain. "This doesn't particularly interest me, no."

"You wouldn't happen to be looking for a certain someone, would you?"

"And who would that be?"

Tamaki almost laughed because he wasn't sure if Kyoya was serious or not. "Oh…" said Tamaki once he recovered, "Uh—Ami-Senapi."

Kyoya's response was a chuckle, "Why on earth would I be looking for Amelie?"

"Um…because you like her?"

The music cut out right as Tamaki said that and then spotlights hit the chandelier where Ami was descending down into the crowd.

Tamaki started clapping and he shook Kyoya's arm excitedly, "I planned this part!"

Ami's wings were extended and she waved to students below who all oohed and awwed as violin music played her down. "Ladies and gentlemen!" silence took over the room like a wave, washing away all the whispers and chatter, "Tonight at the stroke of midnight, the ghouls will come out! And only one of you can be our savior. As the dance goes, on I will bless one of you with the sword of the gods and you must save us all from the evil Goblin King! Good night, and good luck!"

Ami leaned back and fell out of her swing but was caught in the arms of Mori. Every cheered as the music came back up. Kyoya pushed his glasses up and Tamaki knew that something was up.

"Why don't you go and ask Ami-Senpai to dance, Kyoya?"

He saw how Ami was around Mori. She was laughing with him and he was actually saying more than a few words. "She seems busy." He finally said.

It was partially true. Ami spent half of the dance with different boys and girls who asked her to be their partner and the other half she spent dancing with Mori. There was a time when Ami ran over to Andie and pushed her into Mori's arms. Once she finally got the two of them to dance, she trotted over to Kyoya and grabbed his arm.

"Dance with me!"

It was a slow song and Kyoya bowed to Ami and she curtsied back to him. The two were a match made in heaven. The devil and his angel. They glided across the dance floor together and couldn't take their eyes off each other.

"Who knew you'd be such a graceful dancer? I'm floored, Kyoya Ootori."

He spun Ami and pulled her back to him, "As a host—and the son of a wealthy family—I had to learn all of the arts. Music, dance…charm."

"Charm?" Ami laughed, "Would a shark attack it's prey and call it an accident? Your charm is manufactured Kyoya. I saw that from day one. I like it."

The two still smiled at each other as they danced.

"Oh?" Kyoya was interested now, his hand moved lower on her waist, "What else do you like about me?"

"I can't give those away for free. What do you have for me?"

He smiled, "You look absolutely stunning tonight. As expected."

"Why Kyoya, you're too kind!"

They were in perfect synchronization to the music and all eyes were on them.

"Your father offered me a job after this year."

"It looks like you got what you came for. You can drop the nice guy charade. I know you're heart is frozen beneath there." She touched his chest and then ran her hand over his face, "Why won't you open up, Kyo? Let this princess melt your heart."

"Is that what I came here for…princess?"

"I think sometimes you don't know what you want. But you always have a goal."

"I know how to play the game. I feel sorry for someone whose only goal is one that was programmed into them from birth."

Ami tightened her grip on Kyoya's hand as they spun and stepped across the room. "And what are your goals, Kyoya? Certainly one of them has to be, getting out of your brothers' shadows. It must be terribly cold there."

Kyoya dipped Ami and raised her up slowly.

"You're correct. But at least I'm working for something. Many of us have things handed to us. It must be nice."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Kyoya. Please clarify."

"Anything for you Amelie," said Kyoya, the clock struck a little closer to midnight, "You're an only child. You've always had things handed to you. Someday you'll have your father's company placed on a silver platter before you. You have pressure to be this perfect little doll that all it says is 'yes'." Now Kyoya looked Ami in the eyes as the music started to grow quieter. "You're a puppet."

SLAP!

The sound reverberated through the room. Tamaki gasped and walked forward just as Ami realized what she had done. She could see her hand print on Kyoya's cheek and he kept his eyes away from looking at her. She had never lost her temper like this before. All eyes were on her. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes, threatening to expose her to vulnerability to all. In a swish of lace and silk, Ami was running out of the hall.

The dance was over and the host club all met together in the Entertainment Club room. There was a tension in the room that couldn't even be cut with the sharpest of knives. Kyoya stood next to an open window and stared out at the courtyard.

"Kyoya…" Mori was the first to break the silence. Kyoya looked over his shoulder as Mori stood to his feet, "You should apologize to Ami-San."

"She struck first." Kyoya snapped. His face was still stinging but he wouldn't let anyone else see his pain.

"That's a child's response, Kyo-Chan." said Honey.

Kyoya turned all the way around and he could see his club had rallied against him. Haruhi stood up next, "I don't know what you said to her, and frankly I don't care. But you don't upset your friends Senpai. No matter what happens! When you care about someone, you help and support them."

The doors to the club room opened and Tara stormed in, her eyes finally found her target and she marched up to Kyoya and looked him in the eyes, "You have some nerve!" her voice raised and this had been the first time anyone had heard her speak this loudly. Even though it wasn't that much louder than her normal voice. "Amelie has been nothing but kind to you. What's your problem?!"

"Tara…" Kyoya wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't prepared for the night to go this way. He didn't calculate this. "I'm—I had no intention to insult Amelie. Forgive me."

Tara pointed to the door, "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

It was days before Kyoya could bring himself to even look at Amelie. There were rumors flying around that it was a lovers quarrel and that Kyoya had been jealous of Mori and insulted Ami because of it. Others were saying Kyoya had replaced her in the run for owning her father's company and Ami couldn't contain her rage anymore. Whatever the rumors were, they had pitted Ami and Kyoya against each other. People were split. A lot of the students had grown to like Kyoya, but loyalty was owed to Ami.

Kyoya had been walking the school grounds and started crossing the sky bridge when he noticed Ami was talking to Mori-Senpai in the center of the rose garden. He watched the two talk and Mori was standing with his hand in his pocket and smiling down at Ami. He'd been smiling a lot lately.

"It stings a little, doesn't it?" Tamaki walked over to Kyoya and looked out of the glass wall before them. "When you care so much about someone that sometimes you forget you only want the best for them…"

"I don't understand what's become of me." said Kyoya.

Tamaki smiled, "You're in love."

"What?!" Kyoya shook his head, "No. I'm not an idiot like you, Tamaki. I would know if something like that ever happened. Besides, I can't fall in love. I have far too much to focus on."

"Suit yourself," Tamaki gave a shrug and then started walking away, "Last I checked. Love makes an idiot of us all." Haruhi was waiting for him at the end of the bridge and Tamaki took her hand and kissed her gently on the lips before they moved on.

"Idiot…" whispered Kyoya. He looked back out of the wall and tensed when he saw Mori bend down and Ami stand on her tip toes. Kyoya rushed away, he didn't need to see the rest of this. It was good that Mori-Senpai was finding someone he could grow so close to. Though he didn't think Ami was the perfect match for him. She spoke far too much and never gave anyone a word to say. She was rude, conniving, callous when she wanted to be, and just all around annoyingly caring. She was always smiling, even through her pain, she smiled. She kept herself busy so she didn't have to sit and think about what she wanted to do in the future. She did as she was told, and he hated that. Why? When did all of this start developing?

Kyoya had lost his focus while at this school. Only three months in America and so many things had gone wrong. His image was cracking.


	9. Chapter 7: Tied Together!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Seven: Tied together!

The curtains were drawn and the candles were lit.

Tamaki sat at the head of the table, his face, an intensity that no one had seen before. He rapped his fingers for a long time before he finally looked up at the rest of the Host Club and the Entertainment Club.

"We trap them…in a room together!"

Everyone rolled their eyes.

"Boss was this really what you brought us here to talk about this early in the morning?" asked Hikaru. "And let's open some windows, jeez!" said Kaoru as he whipped the blinds open.

"You're ruining the mood!" Tamaki yelled.

"Senpai why are we really here?" Haruhi said through a yawn. She could barely stay awake and the sun wasn't even fully risen yet.

"This is serious everyone!" whined the oh so great Prince of the Host Club, "For the first time, Kyoya is experiencing love! And he's already got one strike with Ami-Senpai. We must do what we can to save their relationship!"

Ellie, from the Entertainment club raised her hand, "Um…why are _we_ here?" she motioned to a sleeping Max, Margo sipping on coffee, Nate who could barely keep his eyes open, and Kieran who had just been staring straight ahead. She actually wasn't sure if he was alive.

"You're the ones who know Ami-Senpai the best!" said Tamaki, "We can't use Tara-Senpai or Andie-Senpai, or else we could risk exposing the plan and ruining everything!"

"Oh you mean like everyone they know meeting in a secret location without them knowing about it?" asked Kaoru. Max chuckled and Kaoru smiled, proud he got a reaction from the guy pretending to sleep.

Tamaki stamped his feet, "Come on you guuuuuuys!"

"Tama-Chan is right everybody," said Honey. Mori looked down at him, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Kyo-Chan hasn't been the same since we got here, and he's even worse now that Ami-Chan is mad at him. We should at least find a way to stop them from being angry at each other."

That's when it hit, Margo! "The fair." she said.

"Yeah…the fair…" said Kieran. His sudden speech made Ellie jump out of her seat.

"Do you sleep with your eyes open?" she asked him.

"Sometimes…" said Kieran.

"Margo's right," said Max, "Ami loves the school fair. We have it once a semester and it's one of the only things she doesn't plan."

"A fair could be so romantic!" said Tamaki, "Just imagine! We split into teams and lead Kyoya and Ami-Senpai in different directions to the ferris wheel and we blind fold them and tell them not to take it off until the very top! Then under the twinkling starlight, they take their blind folds off, stare into each other's eyes and then it's happily ever after! Awww!"

The theater of Tamaki's mind.

"It'll be cloudy…" said Kieran.

Tamaki stopped swooning and glared at Kieran who was still looking straight ahead without blinking.

"Fine then…we'll send them through the tunnel of love together and dim the lights and have them floating in the lagoon."

Margo leaned over to Haruhi and whispered, "Is this guy, for real?"

"Unfortunately…" said Haruhi.

"We won't have a tunnel of love…" Kieran said with a sigh.

"Why don't you help instead of putting all of my ideas down!?" Tamaki yelled at Kieran.

Kieran finally moved his eyes and looked at Tamaki who glared at Kieran who only stared blankly at Tamaki. Each second the stare grew longer, Tamaki's face got redder. Margo drank deep from her coffee cup, fascinated as to how long this would go on for.

"They could do the scavenger hunt…" Kieran said.

"The..what?" asked Tamaki.

Ellie pushed her chair back and launched herself at Kieran and hugged him. He was unfazed by it, "Kieran you're a genius!" she said, "Each year the school hosts a scavenger hunt where you pair up in teams and you have to be handcuffed the entire time. It's a way to build trust and blah blah blah…but it'd be perfect for Ami and Kyoya, because they'd _have_ to talk to each other!"

"I think Ami would cut her own hand off, than be cuffed to a guy like Kyoya," said Max.

"Then we'll have to follow them and make sure it goes off without a hitch!" said Tamaki, he was glowing with pride and his enthusiasm was contagious.

"Sounds cool." said Kieran.

"Yeah…" said Mori.

xxxx

"It's nice of the school to make the fall festival, Sakura themed, don't you think, Takashi?"

"Yeah."

Ami and Mori were walking around the school grounds together and admiring the beautiful cheery blossoms that had been flown in for decor and all the water color Japanese paintings that hung as banners above each archway.

"Oh look, Takashi! A judo competition! Are you entering?"

"Yeah." Mori said with a smile.

Ami skipped ahead of him to read the flyer, "First place is getting two free periods during finals week to study, plus a 10% increase on any grade of your choice. Wow!"

"You should enter," said Mori.

Ami laughed, "Well my grades are fine, but I could use the two free classes." She thought about it then waved the thought away, "I'm no Judo champ, though. I only know what you've taught me!"

"It's enough. Trust me." said Mori.

Ami linked her arm with his and continued to walk the grounds.

"Takashi has Ami-Chan distracted, Tama-Chan." said Honey into his cell phone. He was wearing a disguise that only consisted of a handlebar mustache and a large white conductors hat. He was piloting the miniature train through the festival and all the riders were swooning over how adorable Honey looked.

Tamaki, who was on the opposite side of campus, hung up his phone and gave a thumbs up to the twins—both sets—who then walked off together. It was all coming together now. As long as everyone stuck to the script, Tamaki was sure he'd get Ami-Senpai and Kyoya on good terms. If he was lucky they'd both admit their feelings and then he could plan their wedding! But he was getting carried away right now. He looked to his left and nodded at Haruhi who sighed. She had been forced to dress in a kimono with extensions in her hair again. She waddled away awkwardly to go intercept Ami-Senpai.

"Ami-Senpai!" called Haruhi.

Ami turned to see Haruhi happily running her way. Ami blushed as she noticed how adorable Haruhi looked in her kimono and her hair pinned up in a bun. She ran to Haruhi and hugged her and started gushing about how cute she was!

"I was thinking you and I could match tonight, Senpai," Haruhi said with a smile. She stopped when she noticed that Ami was tearing up, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to—"

"Of course I'll match with you!" said Ami, "I'm going to look so pretty!"

"Did someone say, match?" asked the Hitachiin's who appeared from behind Haruhi. "Have we got the dress for you, Senpai!"

xxxx

"Ok, the twins should be with Ami right now," said Tamaki to himself, which means the other twins are…"

Kyoya frowned as he was led by Max and Ellie to the scavenger hunt arena. He didn't want to play this stupid game, but he also didn't want to upset any more American's while he was here. So he gave in, after they nagged him for five minutes straight about how they weren't smart enough and they really wanted him on their team…it was flattering, but he really just wanted to spend the rest of the night in his dorm.

"Sorry, but you can only play in teams of two," said the referee once the twins and Kyoya signed up.

"Then I want Kyoya!" said Ellie, who pulled on Kyoya's arm. "No fair," said Max, "I want Kyoya! We look absolutely stunning together!" Ellie glared at Max, "You just want him because you have a thing for boys in glasses!" Max blushed, "Wha-wha—Ellie! You're making things up!"

Kyoya had managed to slip away while they fought over him but ran into his twins, Hikaru and Kaoru. "Hiya Senpai!" they greeted him. "You playing the scavenger hunt too?"

"No, I was just leaving." said Kyoya.

"Oh, that's a shame," they said. The twins signature up to no good look crossed their faces as they shrugged. "We were only playing so we could win a tea date with Ami-Senpai."

"A what?" asked Kyoya.

"There's a secret bonus prize," said Hikaru, "Ami-Senpai has pledged one full hour of her undivided attention to the lucky winners of the scavenger hunt to enjoy a romantic tea ceremony under the cherry blossoms that overlook the school grounds." Kaoru said. "Why do you think there are so many boys and girls here?"

Kyoya looked around and was shocked to see that in the few minutes he had been speaking to the twins, the area had been filled to the brim. Boys and girls alike were fawning over something Kyoya couldn't see. The twins pushed him forward and finally he saw what they were staring at. Ami was dressed in a beautiful light pink Kimono with a stunning floral obi wrapped around her waist. Her hair was tied up in a bun and her lips were a strong red. The colors complimented her dark brown skin almost too perfectly.

"What are you two up to—" Kyoya turned to confront the twins but both sets were gone at this point.

"And tonight's lucky winner to join with Miss Noble is…Kyoya Ootori of Ouran High School in Japan!"

The crowd clapped as a spotlight fell on Kyoya. He looked up at the stage where Tamaki stood stupidly waving at him. The crowd parted as Ami made her way to Kyoya. He blushed when she bowed to him, and neither could look the other in the eye.

"I didn't know you were playing…" said Ami.

"I was about to—"

Someone fell into Kyoya which knocked him into Ami who almost fell, but he caught her by the hand and waist and helped her stand back up. The crowd was watching with wide eyes. It was the picture perfect moment. Their faces were close. Everyone gasped.

"I wasn't falling over…" Ami muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me for being a gentleman…" Kyoya muttered back.

Sighs, all around the plaza.

"Let the games begin!" Tamaki yelled into the mic.

Suddenly, Kyoya and Ami were handcuffed by the wrist by Mori and they were shocked at how quickly he had them together, "Play nice." was all he said before he walked off with Honey who was slipping in and out of the handcuffs.

Kyoya sighed, "No doubt one of Tamaki's stupid plans to get us to fall in love."

"What?" asked Ami, she stifled a laugh, "Really? This is his grand plan?"

"We might as well play along," said Kyoya, "It'll be the only way he leaves us alone."

They stood there awkwardly looking about.

"I guess we should…grab the map and clues…" said Ami.

"Right," said Kyoya. He started walking off and didn't realize he was moving too quickly until Ami pulled on her wrist which yanked the handcuffs. "Ah…right…together then?" asked Kyoya, Ami nodded and led the way.

"I'm supposed to what?" Ami could hardly believe what Kyoya was saying as they hunted for the treasure. "Who made that up?"

"I can assure you, it was all Tamaki."

"He's such a good person," said Ami as she read the scavenger hunt list. They were more than halfway done and she was sure at times she saw students catching up to them. But then a blur of blue hair would appear and suddenly she and Kyoya were alone. "He goes through all this trouble just to keep everyone happy."

"He's a selfless, wreckless, idiot," said Kyoya, "But he's our idiot."

"Oh look!" said Ami, "The last clue!" She pulled Kyoya up the hill with her and they stopped under a grove of cherry blossom trees. Below they could see the school festival carrying on. They could smell the food and hear the laughter. It was a great view.

"And a tea ceremony, conveniently placed here as well." said Kyoya. He reached up and found the key to their handcuffs hanging to the tree.

"I assume Tamaki thought that by making us go through this together we'd talk out our feelings instead of actually focusing on the task at hand." Kyoya moved to unlock the handcuffs and Ami snatched the key from him.

"Maybe we should," she said. Kyoya pushed up his glasses. "What you said at Halloween…"

"Was completely uncalled for," Kyoya interrupted. "I—I am sorry, Amelie. Please forgive me."

"You were right," she said. Kyoya was surprised to hear her say this. "I am the product of years of tutoring and etiquette. I was told when to say yes and when to politely turn something down. When my parents ask me to do something, I say yes. I have to. Otherwise I risk—"

"Disappointing them?" Ami nodded and Kyoya motioned for them to sit on the blanket together. He poured her tea with his free hand and looked down at the festival. "I've known that feeling. I used to think that disappointing my father would be the end of the world. Until I decided to go down my own path and show him what I could do. And how good I was at it."

"I don't know what I'm good at," said Ami, she teared up as she watched the lanterns dance below, "I've always done well at what I was told to do well in. I've never done anything else."

"What about your music?" asked Kyoya, she looked up at him, "I've never seen you smile the way you do when you play the violin."

"My mother wanted me to play the piano. She said it was more attractive for a woman to play that than the violin. But I love the sound and the feeling of the violin. The way it hums to me."

"Why not be a musician?" Kyoya asked, but he already knew the answer to that. Because her parents wouldn't approve of it. What kind of future would she have if she only played music?

"What do you want to do Kyoya?" she asked.

"Why, run my own business of course." He said, he smiled at her, "There's nothing I want more than to be successful. But first, I'd like to beat my older brothers in becoming the patriarch of the family. I want to do it, just to show them that I can."

"That's a two dimensional dream." Ami said but at least she laughed, "You're ruthless, Kyoya." She looked at him now, deep in the eyes, "I wish I were more like you."

"How interesting you say that," said Kyoya, "I think we're a lot more alike than you think." Ami unlocked their handcuffs and then sipped on the tea Kyoya poured for her, "Let's enjoy this renewed friendship, and give Tamaki what he wants, shall we?"

"That sounds like a good plan."


	10. Omake: Green Eyes!

**Omake #2**

 **Green Eyes**

It was a school night, but Ami had volunteered to take Kyoya to her favorite Art Museum in downtown Boston. Andie and Mori had decided to tag along though Andie was more interested in the nearby bakeries. She bought all kinds of snacks for everyone to try, and explained the baking process and the ingredients within them.

Kyoya proved to be quite knowledgable in American modern art and impressed Ami more than once. He explained that in his past time he did like to study art and he did paint now and again, though it was nothing professional.

He was finally opening up. They were having quite a good time, but Ami was continuously distracted by Andie and Mori who wandered off and were chatting quietly with each other. Andie was laughing and kicking her feet around shyly and a pit developed in Ami's stomach.

"Amelie…" came Kyoya's voice, she turned back to him and smiled. He was staring up at a Robert Indiana painting, _LOVE_. "What do you make of this one?" he asked.

"Well what does it look like?" asked Ami, giving her full attention to Kyoya.

"The _O_ is slanted. The colors are bright—"

"Go a little deeper than the surface, Kyoya."

He stared a little harder, "Love can knock us down." He said.

"Or it can carry us," said Ami, she pointed at the _E_.

Their eyes met and both blushed and moved on to another painting. Ami looked over her shoulder to see Mori and Andie conversing quietly. They were standing quite close and smiling, staring deeply at each other…and that pit in her stomach grew a little deeper. Mori met Ami's gaze and she turned away and hurried to keep up with Kyoya's stride.

The next painting they came across was of a woman draped in sheer, green, lace, with bright green eyes. It was like she looking straight through Ami and she followed the paintings gaze to Mori and Andie whose arms were now linked together.

"You seem distracted, princess…" Kyoya leaned over Ami' s shoulder and she turned back around to smile at him.

"I'm sorry Kyoya. I guess having the extra company is throwing me off."

"Should we go somewhere more private?" he asked.

Ami swooned and drew the attention of the other patrons, "Kyoya, that's so scandalous!" He rolled his eyes. There were times Ami reminded him of Tamaki. "Why, what would the others think? I'm delicate like a rose, Kyoya."

Kyoya grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. The other visitors gasped and started turning red as they watched their interaction. "Then allow me to hide you away from the sun, my sweet rose, so that you may not wilt."

Andie laughed as she watched Kyoya and Ami do their schtick. Now that the two were friends again, they could barely go a moment without flirting with each other. Andie was pretty sure neither knew how they really felt about each other, but they'd get there soon. She looked up at Mori who was frowning as Kyoya flirted with Ami.


	11. Chapter 8: The Presidential Race!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Eight: The Presidential Race!

November! The time of year when students would get to elect their new student council. This was Ami's big chance. She had always waited to run for student council so it would show how great of a student she was in her senior year. All she needed was a great campaign—not like she had much competition—and the best running partner.

The leaves were falling and Ami could finally break out her favorite blue scarf and jacket. She was walking to her next class and sipped a pumpkin latte. She took her time, since it was a beautiful day. She really liked the cold.

"Good morning, Ami-Senpai."

She looked up to see Kyoya approaching her with a smile on his face. He was wearing a nice brown sweater with a black scarf. For some reason, he looked even cuter in his fall attire. She blushed after she realized she had thought that.

"Good morning, Kyoya. How are you?"

"Wonderful. I'm glad I ran into you. I wanted to talk to you about the student election. Allow me to walk you to class." He held out his arm and Ami happily took it.

Kyoya had offered to be Ami's manager and he had a platform ready for her to take up. He was sure it would get her the most votes and provide promises that she could keep until the end of her term. He even created a binder with all of their tactics and a profile on her competition.

It turns out, Ami was up against two other people. A third year student, Aaron, who was his class representative and was at the school on a full ride scholarship. He had a wonderfully charming smile, and overall seemed to be pretty perfect. "We can crack him," said Kyoya. He handed her the second page and it was a French exchange student, top of her class, and majoring in biology. Her name was, Yasmin Martin, a senior like Ami and a frequent visitor to the Entertainment Club. "She doesn't have a lot of friends here, but she's liked well enough." Kyoya continued, they were almost to Ami's classroom, "Your popularity with the faculty and students will get you far enough, but we need to show them you're consistent. That you can relate to them on a personal level."

"Kyoya, this is all very impressive. When did you have time to make all of this?"

He shrugged and handed her the binder, "I've been working on it off and on for a while now. It's no big deal really."

"Kyoya…will you be…my vice president?"

He smirked, "But of course, Madame President." He bowed to her and the bell rang. Ami hugged Kyoya and then went to class.

Today, Mori and Ami were supposed to be having lunch together, but as he waited for her in the dining hall, she didn't show up. Ami was never late. He checked his phone but didn't see any missed messages. Honey joined Mori, his plate filled with cookies, cakes, and fruit of course, he had to eat healthy.

"What's wrong Takashi?" asked Honey.

Mori looked over at Honey and said nothing. Then he looked over Honey's shoulders and saw Ami walk into the room. He relaxed when he saw her, until Kyoya walked in right behind her. What were they doing together?

"Huh, they're still at it?" asked Honey who was also looking at Ami and Kyoya, "You didn't know? Ami-Chan is running for school president! Kyo-Chan is helping her out. He has a really big plan."

"Oh." said Mori.

Kyoya carried Ami's tray as she flipped through the agenda he had prepared for her. They sat at a private table together and looked like they were really enjoying themselves.

"It's nice that they're talking to each other again, wouldn't you say Takashi?" asked Honey, he bit into his cake now that he had finished half of his plate, "I'd say they're getting along much better now than they were before."

Mori frowned, "Yeah…"

Kyoya had pulled Andie into Ami's campaign and for the next few weeks Andie was forced to have a bake sale. She expertly frosted Ami's face onto each cookie and had her campaign promises printed on each napkin she handed out. If Kyoya hadn't been watching Andie from the shadows she would have asked for help from someone. The two of them together radiated evil and dark intent.

Honey and Mori approached her table one day when Ami was helping Andie sell her cookies. They got their cookies for free of course and while Ami was busy handling another customer, Andie leaned forward and grabbed Mori by the sleeve and whispered, "Help me…"

"Andie we have to move across campus…"

Andie froze when she felt the cold lingering shadow of Ami over her shoulder. "Y—yes, Ami!" Andie pushed the cart away as fast as she could.

The first debate of the semester arrived and as Kyoya predicted, Ami was greeted with cheers and applause. Kyoya had written some topics for her to bring up that would surely get under Aaron's skin. He wasn't the greatest public speaker and the debate was nearly over in a flash as he tried to explain how he felt about his future ambitions. Again, like Kyoya predicted, he was unprepared. Ami and Yasmin wowed the crowd with their responses and it seemed to be neck in neck. Once the debate was over, Ami and Kyoya met in a corner and whispered to each other. They clearly were plotting together. Both held smiles like demons and their eyes glinted in the darkness.

"Why are Ami-Senpai and Kyoya-Senpai smiling like that?" asked Haruhi, she was nervous and no one wanted to get near them.

"Let's just say, Kyoya's finally found his other half…" said the twins.

"They're almost too perfect for this." said Tamaki.

A few days later, Mori ran across Ami who was taking a nap under a cherry blossom tree. He watched as the petals fell on her and decided to sit next to her. Ami's phone lay open in her palm and on it were messages to and from Kyoya. It seemed they were up very late the past few days working on her campaign. A petal fell on Ami's nose and she woke herself up with a sneeze.

"Oh! Takashi…" she yawned and stretched and looked at the time, "I'm late for my class!" she bolted up and then Mori pulled her back down to the ground. "Takashi—I have to—"

"It's Sunday…" said Mori.

"Oh…" she slumped back down and finally felt the stress of everything fall back onto her shoulders. She looked physically heavy.

"You should rest," Mori said. He pulled her close to his chest and let her rest her head there. It was nice and Ami felt the strongest urge to just stay here for the rest of the afternoon. Maybe she'd watch every flower fall off the tree until she fell asleep.

Riiiiiiing.

Ami opened her eyes and answered her phone, "Kyoya! Yeah…uh-huh…that sounds really great. Sure…I can be over to your room in five minutes. See you then." Ami took a deep breath and stood to her feet. She gave Mori a thumbs up, "Don't worry about me, Takashi. I love this kind of work. As my mother says, I'll rest when I'm dead!" She winked and then walked down the hill to the path back to the dorms.

November was close to an end and Ami and Kyoya were on fire in the polls. Yasmin had been putting up quite a fight and her campaign slogan was, "A student of the people, for the people." Classic, not too elegant, but she was pulling people in by reminding them that she wasn't part of the upper class like Ami and Kyoya. Though it did hurt their numbers a little it wasn't enough to throw Ami out of the race. Kyoya did what he could to find out anything he could about Yasmin, but her records were short and her list of friends even shorter. She was a business woman through and through. Cold, strict, and by the book.

She began attacking Ami's overpopulated schedule and how she could barely balance her time throughout the week. "If Miss Noble barely has time for herself, what makes you think she'll have time for us? The students?" Yasmin argued during the second debate.

"Miss Martin has an excellent point," Ami responded with a smile and her voice as a callous cold that the host club thought only Kyoya could get, "I do have a lot of things on my plate, but it just means I have even more room in my heart." The crowd awwed, "There are so many things that I love and wish to do, and I do try and spend my time with as many as you as possible. I'm sure Miss Martin has a wonderful extracurricular schedule, but does she know all of you by first name? Has she gone to any of the sports games? Scheduled any of the formal and non-formal events and taken any of your concerns into the matter? I'm sure Miss Martin is quite adequate at many things, but she's not the one who made sure the school had menu items to cater to every single allergy listed in the data base."

The whole room applauded Ami and if Kyoya could grin he would have been beaming from ear to ear. "Now the catchphrase…" Kyoya said under his breath.

"I may not have time for me, but I'll alway have time for you!" Ami flashed the crowd a smile and a peace sign and they went wild.

Finally the day had arrived. Kyoya and Ami sat in her room by her computer waiting for the votes to come in. She had a bunch of texts and emails blowing up her phone but she ignored it and held Kyoya's hand as she sat in anticipation.

"I have no doubt you won this, Amelie." Said Kyoya.

She didn't say anything. She just waited.

PING!

Ami reloaded the schools website and saw the results of the election. Her eyes went wide…

Yasmin stood on her platform and waved to the few people who had gathered to see her inauguration into the school office. Rumors were flying around about how Ami had lost the race. Some said that Yasmin had hacked into the results and transferred all of Ami's votes to her account. Others said she threatened Kyoya—who was now the rumored lover of Ami—and Ami chose to lose the race so she could save him. It was the much more romantic version that everyone chose to believe, though it painted Yasmin as the evil villain. Ami tried to calm the horde of admirers down and she told them that what was meant to happen, was meant to happen and that they should accept it and treat President Martin with the upmost respect.

Honey and the rest of the host club sat under the maple trees in the courtyard. It was the weekend and they didn't feel like going anywhere.

"Poor Ami-Chan…" said Honey, "She's smiling but I wonder how she really feels about the race. She put so much effort into it."

"Yeah, has anyone talked to her about it?" asked Haruhi.

"We should send her flowers!" exclaimed Tamaki, "And a sing-a-gram! I hear those are popular here in America! It'll cheer her right up!"

"Boooring," said the twins.

"Oh, Amelie didn't tell you?" said Kyoya who was buried deep into his book, "She won the race, she just chose not to be President."

"Huh?" the whole group looked stunned. Mori raised an eyebrow.

"Why would she do that?" asked Tamaki, "It's all she's talked about since we got here."

Kyoya pushed up his glasses and turned the page in his book, "It's what she wanted…"

 _"Kyoya…thank you so much for making my dream come true…" Ami had looked at him deep in the eyes and squeezed his hand, "You made me feel excited and determined about something and I hadn't felt that in a long time."_

 _"You're—you're welcome…" said Kyoya. "What do you want to do?"_

 _"I don't know," said Ami and she laughed, "But it's not being student body president that's for sure…I think…I'm going to figure that out. I want to do something that makes me feel like when I'm with you!"_

 _She kissed Kyoya on the cheek…_

"What is Ami-Senpai going to do now?" asked the twins.

"Whatever it is…" said Kyoya, "I'm sure she'll…love it."

Mori looked down at his phone and saw that he got a text from Ami: _Let's get lunch tomorrow, Senpai! You and me! 3 Ami._ He smiled.


	12. Chapter 9: The Royal Nobles!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Nine: The Royal Nobles!

 _Ten Years Ago…_

The study was an empty room, save for the chalkboard and the eight year old girl who scratched away the math problems before her. The curtains were drawn but she could hear the families down at the beach and she could still hear the waves crashing against the shore. She wasn't allowed outside. Not until all of her work was done. And by the time it was, it was dark outside and all the other kids had gone home.

"Have you finished your math homework, Amelie?"

"Yes…mama…"

Amelie set down the chalk and looked up at her mother who was now correcting her work on the chalkboard. "Hmm…" sighed Mrs. Noble, "98%" Amelie lowered her head, "Disappointing…it's not your best, but you're doing much better at algebra than I thought you would. Improvement."

"Thank you, mama…" said Amelie.

"Now, let's go out to the garden. Your biology lesson is starting soon."

"Mama…can I have a free day?"

Miss Noble paused when she reached the door and sighed, "You can leave, when you can impress me, Amelie."

 _The Present…_

Ami sat at her desk and flipped through her notebook finishing up the equations that been chosen for her. This was college level stuff. It wasn't easy, but also not incredibly difficult. It was…boring. The study room was silent and she was the only one here. The curtains were drawn and she could hear the ocean outside.

"Amelie…"

"I'm almost done with calculus, Mama…" said Ami. She turned and smiled at her mother who stood in the doorway with her arms crossed.

"Good. Then we'll move on to World History next." said Mrs. Noble.

"Mama!" called Ami before her mother could shut the door, "When I'm done…may I…call my friends? I'm sure they're worried about me."

Mrs. Noble sighed, "No, Amelie. You may not." The door shut with a soft click.

Boston, MA

The first day that Ami was missing, no one said a thing. They had assumed she was sick or taking some personal time. The second day was strange when Haruhi brought up that Tara had been walking alone and looked as if she had been crying. The Entertainment Club was closed on the third day and Margo said she couldn't get a hold of Ami. The fourth day, Kyoya decided to investigate because Ami wasn't in her dorm and she was missing a few of her bags.

"California?!"

The whole host club was in shock when Kyoya pulled out his tablet and read the news to them. "She left without word to anyone and that includes Tara-Senpai and Andie-Senpai. None of them know why she's gone, but Tara has an inkling it could have to do with her mother's visit."

"You mean…a few months ago?" asked Tamaki. Kyoya nodded.

"When is Ami-Chan coming back?" asked Honey.

"I—don't know." said Kyoya.

"Our Princess is missing!" said Tamaki, he was immediately standing on the table with his fist in the air, "This is unacceptable! We must go to California and save her from the evil powers that be!"

"SAVE THE PRINCESS!" said the twins and Honey. Mori nodded.

"For the first time, Tamaki," Kyoya said with a smile, "I agree…"

Santa Monica, CA

The beach! The waves! The sun! The amusement park!

Was all off limits until the Host Club found Ami-Chan! Honey nearly cried as they drove passed the pier and all the people walked around with ice cream and cotton candy. The twins would have loved the water had they not been just as focused as Tamaki who was scanning the streets looking for Ami in the crowd.

"She's not going to be out there, Senpai…" said Haruhi, "We're going to her families beach house."

"How is it this warm in November?" Tamaki asked, "How can these people be so happy when your princess is missing?!"

"RESCUE PRINCESS AMI-CHAN!" the twins recited.

"Will you idiots calm down?" said Kyoya from the front of the car. He was giving the driver directions and everyone was being far too chaotic for him to hear himself. "We're just a few minutes away."

"I hope Ami-Chan is ok…" said Honey.

"Yeah…" said Mori. His face was stoic but Honey could tell something was bothering him. He had his phone and had been texting Andie about what they were up to, so she and Tara wouldn't have to worry.

"I bet Ami-Senpai is just fine," said Haruhi, she then muttered under her breath, "I'm hoping one of these days we can go three days without some sort of madness happening. We've barely had any real class time…"

"You have a poor attitude, Haruhi…" said Hikaru, he boo'd her and gave her a thumbs down, "Yeah," said Kaoru, "Aren't you supposed to have a new outlook on life? More positive?"

Kyoya had gotten good at tuning out the rest of the club's useless arguments. Right now, all he could think about was, why Ami didn't tell him she had left. He had thought they had grown closer over these few weeks, and they had barely gone a day without speaking or texting or some form of communication.

"We're here." said the driver.

Everyone rolled down the tinted windows and looked up at the golden gates before them,"Whoa…"

The Noble Beach Estate was four miles of private beach front property. There were small houses about the grounds, most likely belonging to the staff, and a huge main house that was four floors tall. From the ground, the Host Club could see Ami on the balcony looking out at the ocean. The winds had whipped her hair around and made it even curlier than it was. She had a vacant expression and just looked like a forlorn princess trapped in a castle.

"Ami-Chan looks like a mermaid…" said Honey.

Tamaki ran to the golden gates and flung his hands against it and yelled up at Ami, "Princess Amelie! Your knights are here to rescue you!"

Ami stood up and walked to the edge of the balcony. Her brown eyes were wide in surprise. That's when the Host Club realized, they weren't looking at Ami…they were looking at her mother, Mrs. Viviane Noble.

The gates swung open Tamaki led the rest of the host club through up to the main house. Mrs. Noble had disappeared from the balcony and as they neared, the front door swung open and Mr. Noble appeared with his arms wide open.

"Ah, Ami's friends. How are you?"

Kyoya pushed Tamaki away before Tamaki could charge forward and demand to see Ami. Kyoya and Mr. Noble shook hands, "A pleasure to see you again, Sir." said Kyoya.

"And you as well, Mr. Ootori…What brings you to our little getaway?" asked Mr. Noble.

"We're here to rescue, Ami-Senpai!" exclaimed Tamaki before Kyoya could push him away.

Mr. Noble looked confused, "Rescue?"

"Tamaki!"

Everyone turned to see Ami exiting from the main house and the two embraced each other like siblings who hadn't seen each other in years.

"I was so worried!" said Tamaki.

She smiled and waved off his words, "Oh no, no, no, everything is fine. I left in such a hurry I forgot to tell you all I was visiting home!"

Kyoya frowned, "You didn't answer any of our calls or texts."

"My…phone broke." said Ami, she laughed and rubbed the back of her head, "I'm sorry!"

Mori sent a text to Andie and Tara to tell them that Ami was alright.

"Amelie…" came the cold voice of Mrs. Noble, "You didn't tell me you'd be having guests."

Ami stepped aside and bowed her head as her mother came out onto the front steps. Her eyes were sharp and her hair was pinned back very tightly. Upon closer inspection, she and Ami looked very different. They were exuding different auras, but Ami's usual, happy, pink aura seemed dull.

"These are my friends from Japan, mother." Ami spoke with little to no enthusiasm. Her mother walked down the steps and circled each member of the Host Club. She stopped and glared down at Haruhi who didn't know how to react. Mrs. Noble then moved on to Kyoya who she sized up as he bowed to her.

"It is a great honor to meet you, Mrs. Noble." said Kyoya. The rest of the hosts bowed as well.

Mrs. Noble was not amused, "How polite." She looked over at Mr. Noble who was beaming with cheer in front of this small, ungodly, crowd, "Dear…" she started. Mr. Noble perked up and took his wife's hand and kissed it.

"Yes, my love?"

"Let's have tea with Amelie's friends. I'd like to get to know them better."

The inside of the main house was just as impressive as the outside. There were beautiful paintings hanging in nearly every room, and it was heavily beach themed. The back of the house opened up to the ocean and there were small boats waiting to be picnicked in. Everyone would be having tea in the sun room, which sat above the water and gave a beautiful view of the pier at the far end of the beach.

"Your home is quite beautiful, Mrs. Noble," Kyoya kept his smile on his face. He wasn't sure he'd be able to keep this up for long. At least, not as long as Ami frowned and thought that no one could see her. "Do you vacation here often?"

"No, not really," Mrs. Noble said, she sounded bored with the conversation and as she sat she snapped her fingers and the servants came in almost immediately after. "For most of the year we rent it out to families who can't afford to live on the beach. My husband thinks we'd get more use out of it if we turned it into a bed and breakfast."

"It would!" said Mr. Noble. He lifted the lid off a tray on the table and offered the snacks to Haruhi and Honey who didn't hesitate to eat. "If you don't use it, you lose it," Mr. Noble said with a strong nod of his head, "And I don't plan on losing the value of this estate."

"Yes, losing value in anything is quite disappointing, wouldn't you agree, Amelie?" asked Mrs. Noble.

Ami sat up straight in her chair and answered her mother with a nod.

"If you don't mind my asking," Tamaki started calmly, "Why did you fly Ami-Chan all the way out here?"

Mr. Noble opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by his wife who said, "Amelie had lost her way this year. Her grades were slipping. I would have ignored that had it not been for the fact that she _lost_ the school election." The tea had arrived and Mrs. Noble fixed her's and Ami's tea. She added honey, but no sugar, and let the tea steep. "I knew something had to be wrong. It's been Amelie's dream to be student body president since she was twelve years old. She planned it perfectly. I'm worried this will reflect poorly on her college applications."

"I think they'll overlook it," said Mr. Noble, he added an extra lump of sugar to Ami's tea and winked at her, "Such an ambitious girl with top notch grades couldn't be overlooked. She's already written her essays and they're in their third drafts. She has nothing to worry about."

"Unless she doesn't get in," Mrs. Noble added a chuckle, but it did nothing to lighten the mood.

Haruhi looked at Ami who had been staring at her reflection in the tea, "Ami-Chan…is that alright with you?"

Splash!

Mrs. Noble had accidentally knocked over her tea and a servant came over and cleaned it up within seconds. There was soon a fresh cup in front of Mrs. Noble who went on as if nothing had happened. "Of course it is," responded Mrs. Noble, "It's been her mantra since she was four."

Ami gave a weak smile, "Yes. Mother's right. I've been…" she looked over at Kyoya, "Distracted…at school. My grades and focus have suffered because of it. Mother thought it'd be a good idea to bring me home and have me be tutored for a few weeks before I returned."

"If I'm correct," started Kyoya, "Amelie's grades have been solid A's since the beginning of the semester."

"A-" said Mrs. Noble, "We strive for perfection. Not…adequacy."

"Forgive me, Mrs. Noble…but maybe Ami-Senpai should speak for herself!" Everyone gasped as Kyoya snapped at the woman.

"What did you say to me?"

"It's been a long day," said Mr. Noble, he clapped his hands and grinned, "It'll be night soon, how about we all prepare to retire for the night? Hmm?"

Kyoya was the first to stand and push his chair back, "Thank you, sir. I think that's for the best."

"I'll show you to the guest suites…"

Ami remained in her seat and met Kyoya's purple, blue eyes, and for a moment…just a fleeting moment…she felt her heart skip a beat.

Once inside of their guest rooms, Kyoya began change into his more casual clothes. He was frustrated and he tossed his clothes around angrily. Tamaki was sharing a room with him and he watched Kyoya for a long time.

"Why don't you go up and see, Ami-Senpai?" Tamaki finally asked.

Kyoya slumped onto the bed and looked at his reflection in the mirror, "Why did I say that?" he ruffled his hair to try and shake the answer out, "I've never done that to someone with such a high reputation. What've I done?"

"You stood up for the person you lo…" Tamaki remembered how Kyoya reacted when he said that word before, so he chose another one, "For the person you care so deeply about."

"Did you see her, Tamaki?" Kyoya now stood up and paced the room, "Her eyes…I've never seen them like that before. As if the fire had been put out. She was gone."

"I knew someone who used to look like that…" said Tamaki, "Boy was he a real stick in the mud! But you know…it wasn't until he realized, that he was his own person, that he finally did something about it."

"This is different," Kyoya said quietly.

"Is it?" Tamaki shrugged, "Because it seems to me, that you're not doing your job as a host. You've become lazy Kyoya Ootori!"

Tamaki was smiling and he picked out a nice shirt from Kyoya's luggage, "As a host…it's our job to make sure every girl is happy."

Ami sighed as she sat beside her window and watched the big fall moon over the ocean. The fireplace in her room was roaring and it casted beautiful illusions in the glass. As she watched the blue of the water and the red of the fire blend she thought she saw someone on her balcony. Actually there was someone on her balcony. She stood up and opened the double doors and covered her mouth in surprise when she Kyoya there with a rose in his hand.

"Shall we run away for the night, Princess?" he asked her.

On the balcony below, Tamaki covered his mouth trying not to ooh and aww. "It's SO romantic!" he whispered to Haruhi. "I'm so glad I thought of this!"

"We shouldn't be here, Senpai!" Haruhi whispered harshly.

"Shh!" Tamaki leaned over the balcony a little bit more so he could listen.

Ami lowered her hands and clasped them together, "Kyoya…" she blushed heavily.

"I may not be able to take you away from here, but I can at least give you, your freedom for the night."

Ami threw herself into Kyoya's arms and he welcomed the embrace. There was a rope that led down to the sands below and Kyoya helped Ami slide down—although she didn't really need help, as Kyoya could tell she had done this before. Once on the beach, Kyoya offered his hand to Ami and she took it and walked with him toward a bonfire. All the hosts were there and Honey offered Ami a s'more. She knelt down in the sand and couldn't help but cry.

"Ami-Chan…are you ok?" asked the twins.

"I'm just really happy." she said through her tears.

Honey hugged Ami and twins joined in. It soon became a group hug with Kyoya and Mori sitting on the side waiting for the cuteness to end.

Once Ami had gotten a hold of her emotions she took everyone to the pier and bribed the ride runners to keep it open for them. They played arcade games, got candy and chocolate, Mori and Haruhi went to the aquarium, while Kyoya and Ami went on the ferris wheel. The view was spectacular and reminded Ami why she did love coming back to California. She and Kyoya were sitting close to each other but she didn't mind. He was being such a good friend to her. Much more than what she originally intended when she met this odd ball group of exchange students. Whatever this was…she liked it.

The night came to an end as the sun was about to rise and everyone made their way back to the Noble Estate. Ami tried her best to tip toe through the house as quietly as she could but it was that strange time when it wasn't night anymore but it also wasn't day light. Just as she reached the top of the first floor, the lights came on.

"Amelie…"

She winced at how harsh her mother said her name. "Good morning…mama."

Mrs. Noble had her arms crossed and glared down at her daughter, "Is this the kind of nonsense you're up to at that school?" she asked, "Staying out until all hours of the night, instead of getting proper sleep?"

"I was just having some fun, mama…"

"Fun is irrelevant when you're career is on the line."

"What career?!" Ami's voiced echoed through the empty house. Kyoya waited at the bottom of the stairs, he listened to what she had to say, "I'm in high school, Mom! This is the time of my life where I'm supposed to be having fun and doing stupid things, and falling in love a dozen times! I have great grades, I have amazing friends, and I'm doing a million things at once. Why can't one of those things be fun?"

"What has gotten into you? You've never spoken to me like before. Is it that Ootori boy?"

Ami smiled, "Yes. And no. I've always wanted to say these things to you but I've been terrified of disappointing you. Do you know how cold you sound when you tell me I haven't impressed you? There's nothing I can do to impress you mom. I feel like I can't even make you smile…"

Mrs. Noble opened her mouth but couldn't say anything. Ami looked up at her with such big, sad eyes.

"Kyoya…and the other hosts have shown me that I don't have stay within the lines. I don't need to fit in a box. Mama…I love you. But…I want to do what I want to do some of the time. You're so smart and perfect…enough for me and Daddy." Ami smiled at her mother, "Let me be imperfect…just a little."

"I just…I just wanted what was best for you, Amelie…" her mother said, this time her voice was soft. It quivered a little.

"I don't want your dream…" Ami took a deep breath after she said this, like it was the first real breath she had taken in years. "I don't know if I want to run, Daddy's company. I don't know what I want to do. I still want to go to college and I still want to learn as much as I can from you both but…I want to take this time to get to know me! What do I like to do? What's it like to not have a refined palate? Why do poor people like to eat at fast food places so often? Why am I always falling into holes? I need answers!"

"I…I never knew you felt this way…" Mrs. Noble walked down to Ami's step and hugged her, "I'm sorry, Ami…You just always said yes…I thought this was what you wanted. What you needed."

"It's ok Mama…it took me this long to realize it too."

"What _do_ you want to do?"

"I have no idea!" said Ami happily, "And I think that's wonderful."

It was settled that Ami would be spending the rest of the weekend with her family and then she would fly back to Boston to continue school. She and her mother worked out a plan and they made a deal. Ami could quit any clubs she wanted to in the Spring, and she had up until graduation to figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. If she didn't figure it out by then, she would go to the school of her parents choosing and study their chosen major until she did find out what she wanted to do. To Ami, this was the perfect deal. She loved a good challenge and was determined to find out more about herself as the year went on. She wouldn't lose this bet, because if she won, she'd get to spend the summer in Japan with her friends and go to the college she wanted to go to. This was perfect. Her life had finally begun. It was like a weight had been tossed off her shoulders. The leaves on the trees may all have fallen, but that just meant new life would spring forth in the coming months. And Ami just couldn't wait…


	13. Omake: Mistle-No!

**Omake #3**

Mistle-no!

Written by Guest Writer: Brittajj26

"It's all wrong!"

Tara looked up from her clipboard and met face-to-face with Usa-chan and Honey. "What?"

"Ami and Takashi," he wailed. "It's not right! I finally figured it out - Ami-Chan loves Kyo-Chan, not Takashi!" He pointed across the parlour at the two of them, who were hovering over a tablet finalizing plans for the Christmas ball.

Tamaki slid into the conversation on his chair. "Yes, Honey Senpai, just look at them! Two delicate cherry blossoms, blushing a light pink from their denied attraction. It's like a modern Shakespeare play!"

Haruhi sipped her tea next to him, annoyed. "Tamaki, come down from the rafters."

Tara tilted her head and watched closer at the way Kyoya leaned slightly in Ami's direction. Ami's face was glowing - slight, but noticeable. She clapped her hands together. "As a lifelong scholar in the many-moods of Ami Noble, I think you're right."

DING!

A lightbulb appeared for Tara, and she whipped out her cell phone and texted the twins. _Hikaru, Kaoru, I need you help with something._

"What?!" The twins exclaimed.

"Shhh!" Tara clasped her hands over their mouths. "Please, I need your help on this!"

Kaoru folded his arms. "I thought we were Team AMori."

"I don't think it's that cut and dry," Hikaru chimed in. "I have to go with Tara on this one - Kyoya and Ami obviously like each other."

"They're blinded by trying to be good hosts and denying themselves what they really want in trying fruitlessly to please others! It's so unfair, and we need to make it right! They must find true love for the new year!" Tamaki clutched his heart and knelt on one knee, still holding Haruhi's hand. "It's not right that anyone should not feel as in love as I am!"

Haruhi pinched Tamaki, who made a little whimper. "If you don't want the others getting suspicious about us all standing in a closet, you should keep it down."

Tara shushed the group. "Please, you guys!" She shined her phone's light on her notepad. "We all need to work together for this to work. "We need all sorts of things to make a romantic night for them. We'll need mistletoe, first of all-"

"We can take care of that!" Said the twins, saluting.

"Okay, and we'll need...someone to make sure they end up under the mistletoe, of course."

Tamaki flipped his hair with a finger. "I can do that, naturally."

"Honey," Tara pointed to him.

"I'll keep Takashi away from Ami-Chan!"

Tara nodded. "Okay, we've got this!"

"We don't got this," Tara mumbled, looking out over the party. Anything and everything that could have gone wrong? It went wrong. Mori continued to walk around with Ami for most of the night, and Kyoya was too busy talking on his phone.

"Honey, I thought you were running interference!"

Honey looked down at his shoes. "Takashi is distracted," he whined.

"UNGH! WITH THE WRONG PERSON!" Tara placed her forehead against a marble pillar and Honey's eyes welled up with tears. As if anything else could go wrong - the twins kept fighting where the best place to put the mistletoe would be, Kyoya couldn't get away from his phone, and Andie was late -

"WAIT!" Tara flipped open her phone. "Come one, come on! Pick up!"

 _"Hello?"_

"Andie! It's Tara. Why aren't you here?"

 _"This cake you ordered? It's too big. I can't get it in the delivery truck on my own, and the family's at the movies! And if I try, I'll ruin my dress - I don't have my apron."_

"I've got an idea. Ask Mori to come and help you."

"...Really?"

"Yeah! I'm sure he'd help you out. He's big, strong…" Needs to get away from Ami, she thought, "And he can get across campus faster than anyone else!"

"Well, okay… Isn't he with Ami?"

"Ami will understand - we can keep her occupied! Just text him." Tara hung up and watched carefully. A few seconds later, Mori looked at his phone, said something to Ami, and walked out of the room.

"Perfect! Tamaki, it's your move."

Tamaki smiled impishly, and dragged a bemused Haruhi with him to the floor. They split up - Tamaki grabbed Ami's hand, and began a waltz. Haruhi talked with Kyoya for a moment, and led him out to the dancefloor as well.

Tara and Honey were on the edges of their seats, watching everything from the nearest balcony through their binoculars.

At the end of the song, Haruhi and Tamaki paired up, switching over their partners. Tamaki threw a wink at the pair upstairs.

"That's the mark!" Tara squealed. "Kaoru, did you hang the mistletoe?"

In a crawling position just behind his twin, Kaoru whispered back in the cell phone. "Almost."

"Of all places to hang this, why does it have to be on the chandelier?" Hikaru griped. "Shhhh!" Kaoru slapped him lightly. "Hang it just there - on the bottom crystal.

Hikaru reached out and just barely touched the bottom row of lights when the song began to stop, with Kyoya and Ami directly below them.

"Now, Hikaru!" Tara hissed.

"I can't reach it!"

"Hikaru!" Kaoru urged.

BZZZZZZZT!

Wish a flash, the chandelier let out a small shake, and the lights went out. The whole room was quiet for one second before the scrambling started for finding candles.

Tara and Honey sighed.

"Well, that's that." Tara shook her head. "Now what do we do, Honey?"

Honey just smiled, pointing out into the darkness.

Through the faint glow of a nearly fireplace, Tara could see the single silhouette of Kyoya and Ami coming closer together.

PING!

The lights were back up and Ami and Kyoya were separated both on their phones going about their business. Honey had to stop Tara from ramming her head into the wall.

The ball was over and everyone went about their own way. Honey and Tara walked side by side to the dorms, both had a cup of hot coco in their hands.

"I wonder what happened to Andie-Chan and Takashi…" Honey sighed as they walked the snowy path together.

Tara was going to say something when she stared off in the distance and saw what looked like Andie and Mori, covered in cake. They were laughing together and Mori bent down and swiped some frosting off of her nose and put it in his mouth. If they were close enough, they would have seen Andie blushing like a mad woman. Honey saw it and grinned.

"Well, it wasn't a complete failure!" said Honey.

Tara nodded, agreeing with him, "We still have New Years." She said.

Behind them, Kyoya and Ami locked the door to the E-Club and walked arm in arm together down the path that led them to the dorms…the path that took the longer route to get there.


	14. Chapter 10: A New Year's Promise!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Ten: A New Year's Promise!

"Welcome!"

The Entertainment Club joined up with the Host Club to have the biggest end of the year party the school had ever seen. The semester was over, and they'd have a long month and a half long break before school would start up again. This was the last time everyone would see each other for a long time. So they decided to go out with a bang!

Fireworks exploded over the school grounds and many of the clients went to the windows to watch them. Nate and Honey teamed up to combine their cuteness and they cheered as each firework went off. The girls loved the two of them together, especially when they held hands and shared cake. Kyoya wrote on his notepad how effective this seemed to be.

The twins, of course, joined up with the twins! It was quadruple the entertainment as shy Max and Kaoru were comforted from the loud noise by extroverted Hikaru and Ellie. It was their best performance yet. Kyoya made a note to see if he could find another pair of twins at Ouran. Perhaps they could do this more often. Or even better, he could fly out Ellie and Max as a special treat. The girls were sure to swoon and fawn over the extra forbidden love between brother and sister. Apparently that was popular in America. Kyoya had a TV show, _Game of Thrones_ written down that Ellie and Max had told him to watch.

Kieran and Mori were standing over the second floor balcony looking out of the windows and the lights lit them up perfectly. The girls and the guys were starstruck as the reds and the blues, made both stoic young men look even cooler than they were. Kyoya had nothing to note about them, though he did wonder what they were thinking about.

"Sushi…" said Kieran.

"Yeah…" said Mori.

Haruhi had drawn her own crowd of admirers of both boys and girls and she was telling them about all the fun she was having in America. Whenever she messed up a word she asked Tara to correct her, and as Tara shyly corrected her, Haruhi would give her the biggest smile as a thank you. The relationship worked well together as everyone around them reacted just as the Ouran girls would when Haruhi gave a genuine, natural, smile. And they loved how Tara played the part of the shy American friend. It was a perfect match.

Margo and Andie were sitting near the fireplace and Andie was teaching her to make a cake you didn't have to bake. Margo fumbled over the ingredients and blushed but Andie was quick to tell her that she was doing really well. The other students who were baking with them asked Andie to help them as well and she was happy to do so. She placed a bit of frosting on everyone's nose and told them that if they all looked silly together, then this wouldn't feel so embarrassing. It was adorable and it worked like a charm. Kyoya thought it would be a good idea to have the cooking club do live demonstrations in the Host Club. It would definitely be a wise investment, he thought.

And last but not least, the cherry on the pie…Tamaki and Amelie. The Prince and Princess. Amelie was dressed in her best formal dress with a diamond tiara on the top of her curls. Tamaki wore a crown and his best blue suit and they complimented each other perfectly. The latest rumor that ran through the press was that Tamaki and Amelie were secret foreign lovers, forbidden by their families to see each other. Like France and America during their feud with England, Tamaki and Amelie were starcrossed. Haruhi was the third party who was a front to cover up Tamaki's feelings and she sacrificed her love for him so that he may remain with his secret love. She didn't like being tossed into this theater of the red hot libido's of American's, but it made her more popular with the Club's clients who drowned her with affection.

Tonight, the starcrossed lovers were sharing secret glances from across the room. The two of them had created a script just for tonight, and however melodramatic it was, it kept the guests wanting more. Amelie would play the part of the shy maiden torn between the commands of her father and the demands of her heart. Tamaki played the role of the young Prince who would do whatever it took to give his love her freedom. Even if it meant having to break her heart to do so.

The crowd was eating…it…up…

"Oh!" here another scene started with Amelie and Tamaki bumping shoulders. Amelie had learned just enough Japanese to apologize formally to Tamaki, "Forgive me, Lord Suoh…" she said, and then turned just enough so her dress billowed behind her.

Tamaki lunged forward and grabbed her arm, Amelie looked up with him with tears in her eyes, "Please princess…" said Tamaki, "Don't leave…"

Kyoya wrote down in his notepad that he should script more scenes with Tamaki. He worked a lot better and was more focused when he had something to do.

The hour passed and it was time for the band to play for The Entertainment Club. It was a group comprised of Bizu students, but Amelie assured Kyoya they were well worth the money. They played fast songs, slow songs, and everything in between. They were going to be signed onto a record label soon and so they were the best of the best to have. The music was lively, Kyoya could give it that much. Everyone was dancing and Kyoya just smiled and watched on.

"Go dance with her!" said Tamaki, as he pushed Kyoya toward the dance floor. He was still dancing to the music but Haruhi was beside him so he wouldn't be missing out on anything. "It's American New Years Eve, Kyoya! You've only got one chance!"

"One chance for what, Tamaki?" asked Kyoya as he fixed his glasses that had fallen askew during the shove.

"It's an American tradition to kiss someone as the clock strikes midnight!" said Tamaki, his eyes twinkled like stars and Haruhi rolled her eyes and laughed, "And something tells me…that Amelie is a traditional girl!" He winked and then pushed Kyoya one more time.

Kyoya straightened his jacket and fixed his hair. Tamaki was an idiot, but at the very least, Kyoya could enjoy his time dancing. He made his way to the dance floor and spotted Amelie in the very center with a horde of young men and women waiting to dance with her. She saw Kyoya and waved at him. Before he could wave back, a wall of Bizu students blocked his view.

"You gotta dance your way through, Senpai!" said Hikaru and Kaoru. They were dancing with Ellie and Max who nodded in agreement, "You won't get very far," said Ellie, "If you force your way through." Max finished. They then somehow became absorbed into the cluster of students and were gone.

This wasn't what Kyoya had planned and he became frustrated as he was bumped and pushed deeper into the symbiotic form of all these students. At one point he ran into Tara and Margo who pulled him over to them.

"Oh Kyoya!" Tara laughed and helped him fix his tie and jacket, "It's hard to move through a dance floor."

"Incredibly," said Kyoya, he bowed to Tara and thanked her.

"Are you looking for Ami?" she asked.

"Well…" he started, he was glad it was so dark or else they would be able to see him blush.

"She's waaaay deep in there, man," said Margo, peering over the top of the heads of everyone around them. "Don't know if you'll make it through by Midnight." She winked.

"Why does everyone assume I'm trying to—" Kyoya stopped when he saw the sarcastic looks on Tara and Margo's face. "I just want to check in on her. I haven't spoken to her all night."

"Suuuuure…" said the two. Margo shrugged and took off the jacket she was wearing and tied it around her waist, "I can help you get so far. You'll have to figure out the rest of the way."

She then started pushing her way through the crowd and Kyoya walked behind her in the trail that was made. Tara waved to him and then was startled when Kaoru blew on her neck. He laughed and Kyoya didn't get to see the rest of the interaction as the hole closed up behind them.

By the time Kyoya turned back around he had lost sight of the Margo's bright blue hair, and was once again trapped amongst dancing students. He looked over the heads and could see that Ami was dancing with Mori-Senpai and a pit developed in his stomach. Perhaps this was all a waste. If he tried, he could make his way out of the crowd and back to his place on the wall.

"Senpai!"

Kyoya looked down to see Haruhi crawling towards him. She stood up and took his hand, "Don't give up!"

She then pulled him into the crowd and he noticed that both clubs were whispering to the students around them and then pointing to Kyoya. Just as gossip does, it spread like water over sand. Soon everyone was whispering and smiling and making room for Kyoya to get through.

"What are you telling them?" Kyoya asked Haruhi. She smiled and gave him the peace sign and then pushed him backwards.

Kyoya stumbled but didn't bump into anyone. When he stood up straight, he realized that he was in the center of a circle. Mori spun Ami on her heel and she was then caught by Kyoya.

"This next song goes out to the two people who put all of this together. Kyoya and Ami!" said the band leader. A spotlight fell on them and Tamaki took his place at the piano. "This is an old song, but a good one…"

 _So Close, by John McLaughlin_ started to play.

Kyoya bowed to Ami and she curtsied, they then came back together and started to ballroom dance together. Everyone watched them with a smile on their face, even Mori seemed to approve. As they stepped in sync together, Ami and Kyoya couldn't take their eyes off of each other. It felt like they were the only two in the room.

As the music picked up, couples joined together in the dance. Mori and Andie danced together, while Tara and Kaoru joined in as well. Hikaru and Ellie danced together while Margo took the lead with Max. Kieran and Nate paired up while Honey grabbed Haruhi and took her on the dance floor. Everyone spun together and listened to the music, but they still looked over at Kyoya and Ami whose eyes hadn't left the others. They were both smiling at each other, but not just any smile. A deep, true, happy smile.

"Kyoya may be smart and sneaky and cunning…" said Hikaru.

"But he's really clueless when it comes to knowing anything about himself…" finished Kaoru.

The song was winding down, and as it did the counter on the clock tower had started.

"Thank you, Kyoya…" Ami said, they were still close even though the music had stopped.

"It will always be my pleasure…Ami," he said.

"3…2…1!"

The lights went out and the fireworks outside cast beautiful colors all over the room. Everyone shared a kiss on the cheek to someone nearby. Tamaki picked up Haruhi, spun her, and kissed her passionately. Her entire face turned red and he grinned after he kissed her.

"Did Kyo-Chan do it!?" asked Honey, who burst between the two.

"Oh…you know I couldn't see them." said Tamaki.

"Lame, boss!" said the twins.

"I WAS DISTRACTED!" yelled Tamaki.

"Well it's none of our business if they did or didn't," said Haruhi, "They deserve their privacy."

"Not after all the hard work we did tonight to get them together, they don't!" said the twins.

"This was suppose to be the big moment!" said Tamaki, "Where Kyoya realizes his true feelings for Ami-Senpai, after a romantic action to win his way over to her and they ballroom dance to a romantic song and then they kiss romantically!" Tamaki sunk into his depression as the theater of his mind played out the scene over and over in his head. "I was going to plan the wedding…" he pouted. "Mister and Misses Kyoya Ootori…or Mister and Misses Ami Noble…Kyoya Noble…Amelie Ootori…we'd figure it out…"

"Come on Senpai…" said Haruhi she picked him up. "Let's just enjoy the rest of the night."

"But where did they go?" he asked.

"Tamaki looks thoroughly upset…" said Ami as she watched the party through her opera spy glass.

Kyoya approached her and took the spy glass from her so he could see for himself. He smirked as Tamaki looked around frantically. "He's such a fool…"

"Cheers!" said Ami. Kyoya put down the glass so he could take the sparkling drink from Ami's hand. He clinked his glass with hers.

"Cheers, to a new year and a new beginning." said Kyoya.

They drank from their glass under the full moon and sat on the roof of the bell tower together. Behind them, a table filled with small snacks and a couple candles sat awaiting for the young couple to enjoy their night together.

"However did you find this spot, Kyoya?" asked Ami, "I thought I knew every inch of this school."

"I have my ways…now lets enjoy our fondu before it gets cold." He held out his hand and Ami took his as he lead her over to the table. He pulled out her chair and helped her push into the table and then took his place.

"How romantic of you, Kyoya," said Ami, she leaned forward and gave Kyoya her signature look of a smirk and curious eyes, "Why…you wouldn't happen to be falling in love with me, would you? It's very dangerous to do so."

Kyoya chuckled as he served Ami first, "Who knows…it's a new year. Anything could happen…"


	15. Chapter 11: And So Tara Met Her!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Eleven: And Then…Tara met her

"Bye Senpai! We'll see you in a week!"

"Bye everyone!"

Tara and Ami waved from their balcony as the Host Club piled into a car to take them to the airport. Kyoya had gotten a phone call from his father who asked him to fly out to Spain to meet his brother's prospective wife. He didn't understand why the entire club had to go with him, but none the less, they were off.

As soon as the car drove away, Ami pinned her hair up, took out her contacts, and threw on her large glasses and slumped into her bean bag chair with her stuffed animal fox, Mochi. Tara sat on Ami's bed and opened up her laptop. She was working on a digital photo album for Ami's birthday in February and she couldn't wait for her to see it.

"Finally…some peace and quiet," sighed Ami.

"You'll miss them by tomorrow," Tara said with a laugh. Ami stuck her tongue out at her.

"What are you working on?" asked Ami.

"A secret birthday present," Tara grinned and then went right back to her computer screen.

"Trying to one up me, huh?" asked Ami, she threw another stuffed animal at Tara who laughed. Ami did give her a great present. It was a signed copy of the newest Harry Potter play. How Ami managed to get J.K Rowling to sign it? She had no idea. But it was amazing only because Tara didn't tell Ami she wanted it. She never spoke about the books she read in her spare time. Ami could just see right through her. She could read Tara like she had every thought written across her face. That what she liked about Ami. She'd been able to understand Tara since the day they met…

 _Eight Years Ago…_

 _Beverly Hills, CA_

Taralynn stood in the courtyard shifting her weight from foot to foot. She felt invisible amongst all these girls with their raven or blonde hair, and their perfect, freckle-less skin. She kept her head down and her eyes averted. All she could see were the pretty and shiny black shoes that walked back and forth as everyone hung out before the school bell. She was like the snow that fell around her. No one would notice this one little snowflake.

Inside the classroom, Taralynn sat in the middle and raised her hand and answered a question when she could. The teacher forgot her name a lot and called her Marilyn. Not that it mattered really. Her grades were alright. Her attendance was perfect, though even if she missed a day she doubted that anyone would care. Or notice.

That's how every school day went. Tara went along with blending into the crowd. She learned to ignore the whispers of the girls around her. Yes she wasn't a perfect blonde. Her hair was the color of wet sand, her eyes the color of moss, and her skin was a blotchy pink that her mother tried the best she could to fix. Her parents were nothing special either. A lawyer and a real estate agent. Nothing the other girls were interested in. Yes, Taralynn Moby, was a normal ten year old girl.

"Excuse me…can I sit here?"

Taralynn looked up and saw a pretty black girl in white tights a long pink jacket with white ear muffs on, standing in front of her. She looked around and saw that some of the other girls in the courtyard were staring.

"Um…" started Taralynn, she panicked and realized this silence had lasted longer than it should. She picked up her school bag and dusted off the bench. The girl with the chocolate brown eyes sat beside her.

"Thank you! I don't like standing for very long. How long until the bell rings?" she asked.

"Um…" whispered Tara.

"Well, I guess this could be a good opportunity to make some friends. My father always says, when you got, take it!" she held out her hand to Taralynn, "I'm Amelie Noble!"

Taralynn's eyes widened, she knew that name. Everyone knew that name. But she thought the Noble's would have sent their daughter to a much more prestigious school than this private one.

"I know, I know…" said Amelie, she waved her hand in the air as if swatting away flies, "I should be at a much more prestigious school than this. Believe me, I wanted to be. But Daddy said, I have to start in humble beginnings!"

THRRRRIIIING!

"Ah, the school bell. Well, I hope to see you in class!" said Amelie, she winked at Taralynn, "You shy little girl! I can tell we'll be very good friends!"

Amelie than skipped over to the school door and waved at the girls who were staring at her.

"She…talked to me?" said Taralynn.

"Class, I want you to welcome a new student we have joining our fifth grade class. Miss Ah-muh…"

"Ah-Meh-Lee!" said the girl, "Amelie Noble, hi-ya!"

She waved to the class. Now that her coat and ear muffs were off, the class could see that Amelie wore a very brand new uniform and had very long curly hair. A few of the girls whispered that she had just been on the front of Vogue Magazine for kids and that her father spent a lot of money to get just the right shot. It took three days…

"Please take a seat…uh…right next to Marilyn, if you would Amelie." said the teacher.

"It's Taralynn…" whispered Taralynn under her breath.

Amelie took her seat and smiled at her again, and Taralynn hid behind her school book. Why was this girl paying so much attention to her? Was this a trick? Was she pretending to be nice? Taralynn had never been bullied only because no one paid close enough attention to her to bother her. Would this be it? Pushed out of school by popular rich girls?! She'd have to be homeschooled! Then her only friend would be her sister and her cousin!

"Are you alright?" Amelie whispered to her.

Taralynn noticed that she had gripped her book extra tight in her panic and her face had turned a strawberry red. She buried herself as far into her book as she could and nodded just enough so Amelie could see.

"You're silly." said Amelie, "I like you."

Over the next few weeks, Amelie followed Taralynn everywhere she went. They went to class together, to lunch together, and even to the bathroom together. Taralynn had learned so much about her and started to open up a bit more week by week. Though she didn't get more than a few words in, Amelie was entertaining enough to listen to all day. Before Taralynn knew it she was involved in bake sales, school festivals, and even got invited to sit down with a few other girls from her class at lunch.

"Why…why are you being nice to me?" asked Taralynn one day while and Amelie were having lunch.

"Huh?" asked Amelie, she had been telling Taralynn about her families trip to Hawaii before she was interrupted. "What do you mean?"

"Everyone is starting to talk to me now, and you're always taking me to do things, and I…I want to know why? Did someone tell you do this? To make friends with the quiet nerd in the corner? Was it teacher?"

"I like you," said Amelie, Taralynn finally looked up at her. She met Amelie's eyes and saw that she was smiling and calm. "Normally people already know who I am, so they treat me differently and they're always bugging me…but you…there's something about you I like. You don't treat me like I'm special."

"Oh…" was all Taralynn could say. She felt embarrassed for snapping at Amelie like that.

"And you have a lot to say," said Amelie, "I got you this!" she took out a picture book of paintings of fantasy worlds, "I saw all those movies you talked about and they were amazing! Especially the Dark Crystal, and I saw a painting in my Dad's office and I thought you'd like the artist, since you like to draw and stuff." She handed the book to Taralynn who was shocked that she would receive such a beautiful present.

"But I never said…"

"Of course you did! When I was going on and on about how I was bored and my dad really liked long boring movies and then you said something about the Dark Crystal while I was talking and that it was your favorite movie, so I had my Dad buy it and I watched it and it was great!"

Taralynn started to cry which made Amelie panic. She crossed the table and hugged her friend. "No, I'm alright…it's just…I've never had someone listen to me before…or remember what I said."

Amelie wiped away her friends tears and took her hand, "I hear everything that you say. I thought you knew that. When you said you were allergic to peanut butter, so I bought you a chocolate cookie at the bake sale. You said you didn't like being out in the sun so we sat under the tree on the playground. You had a book mark of that movie, Lord of the Rings, so I made my dad watch it with me, and it was awesome! I think for Halloween we should go as Legolas and Gimli. I can even get my dad to make exact replicas of the costumes!"

Taralynn started crying again and Amelie had to stop her before the rest of the lunch room saw.

"I'm sorry…" said Tara.

"Don't apologize. They're happy cries. That what my dad calls them. We're best friends, Tara. You and me! Forever!"

"Best friends? Tara…" she ran the nickname over her tongue a few times.

"I like it better than your full name. You can call me, Ami!" Ami gave Tara another big hug. "I'll always be someone who'll listen to you, as long as you can promise you'll look out for me too."

Tara nodded and gave Ami a really big grin, "I will!"

 _Four years later…_

It was nearing the end of middle school and Tara was sitting in the library buried in a book, when she noticed the blinds were being shut.

"You silly! You'll burn if you sit in the sun for too long," said Ami. The librarian shh'd her from across the room. Ami stuck her tongue out when the librarian turned her back and then she sat across from Tara. "Have you decided where you want to go for high school yet?" asked Tara quietly.

"Um…no, not yet." said Tara, she shut her book, "My sister has plans to stay here in Beverly Hills. She wants to be a dentist."

"How boring," said Ami. She pulled forward Tara's book and looked at the cover. It was a book about writing novels. "I was looking at Boston High School University."

"Isn't that really expensive? And it's so far…" said Tara. She thought about how far Ami would be from her and it broke her heart a little bit.

"Well it's not expensive for me. But I think you could get in on a scholarship, though your parents could afford it. I did the math."

"Wha…you…you want me to go with you?"

Ami nodded, "Of course, dummy!" the librarian shh'd Ami again and the two shared looks that could kill. She whispered again, "What would I be without my second half? Besides, they have a great program for aspiring writers. I think you could really find yourself there."

Tara looked back down at her book and then back at Ami, "Something tells me you already submitted an application in my name."

"Maaaaaaybe…" Ami said slyly.

Tara laughed loudly and then covered her mouth as the librarian glared at the two one more time. "Sure. Let's do it!"

"Yes! Friend's forever!"

SLAM!

The two were kicked out of the library and they both stuck their tongues out at the door and then carried on down the hallway together.

"Have you heard of this thing called the Host Club?" asked Ami, "It's a club at a prestigious school in Japan, I've heard about."

"I think so…" said Tara, "But I could look into it a bit more. Why?"

"No reason…at least not yet…"

 _Present Day_

Ami had passed out on her bean bag chair just only a few hours after the Host Club had left. Tara took the opportunity to brighten her screen and work a little faster on the images she was posting together. She had photos of her and Ami from when they were ten. It was adorable how much more shy Tara was back then. She then posted the picture next to the a more recent one of them with the Host Club. Kyoya's arm was around her waist and she had looked at him right before the shutter went off. It took a lot of pictures, one in which Ami looked at the camera, but Tara really liked the one of her and Kyoya looking at each other. That was the one she kept. She edited a heart over the photo.

"I promised to look after you, Ami…" whispered Tara, "And I'm going to keep it."


	16. Chapter 12: Me, you, and the Host Club

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Twelve: You, Me and the Host Club makes…Too many!

The world was silent with the snow fall.

Winter break was coming to an end and Ami wanted to have one last peaceful day before all the students came back. More importantly she wanted a girls day. Just Ami, Tara, Andie, and Haruhi. There was a spa retreat in downtown Boston that her father owned and Ami had convinced him to let the girls have free reign of it over four days. They'd be able to meditate, exercise, and relax all at their leisure and to their hearts content. They kept it a secret from the boys of the Host Club, though Haruhi was terrible at keeping it just that. A secret. The girl turned into a robot reciting lines whenever the boys asked what she would be doing for the rest of break.

Luckily the day came where they snuck out early in the morning and hopped into a car and drove to the city. Haruhi let out a breath of relief and relaxed in the car.

"Haruhi have you never had to lie a day in your life?" asked Ami.

"I'm not particularly good at it, no…" said Haruhi. "It feels weird."

"There's a difference between lying and keeping a secret," said Andie, "Lying is when you keep something from other people that could potentially hurt yourself and others…like what Ami does about her feelings for Kyoya!"

Ami sat up in chair and prepared to object but then Tara continued with, "And keeping a secret is what you do when you want to surprise someone. Which is not what Ami is doing by avoiding her feelings for Kyoya!"

All but Ami laughed. "I don't know what you're talking about…" she muttered and then looked out of the window.

"Oh yeah?" asked Andie, she scooted closer and poked Ami in the head, "Then what happened to the two of you on New Years Eve? Huh? Huh?"

"Did you kiss?" asked Tara, her eyes lit up as she fantasized about it, "Was it romantic?"

"I—I—we—-just—it's none of your business if we did or didn't!" Ami snapped at them.

A grin slowly spread across Haruhi's face and she pointed and laughed at Ami, "Ami-Senpai! You're embarrassed. I didn't even think that could happen to you!"

"I AM NOT! SHUT UP YOU GUYS!" Ami yelled.

"Meh…" said Andie with a shrug, "I bet they didn't do anything. Otherwise she would have been gushing all about it."

"DON'T TRY AND BAIT ME ANDIE!"

The rest of the ride consisted of multiple attempts to get the truth out of Ami who had turned as red as a cherry the more Tara and Andie made fun of her. Haruhi had never really had girl friends before, but she could see now why she should have. They were no different than hanging out with a bunch of guys. Tara started going on about a new video game that had yet to be released, Andie went on and on about all the different foods she was looking forward to trying in the city, and Haruhi…well she didn't really know what to say. She never spoke this much. What did she like? Food, definitely. She had a lot to talk to Andie about, but other than that, the girls had their fill of asking Haruhi about Japan. She hoped she could last these next few days.

"Here we are girls!" said Ami, stepping out of the limo and standing in front of the tower of Noble Spa and Resort.

"This is it?" asked Andie. "I thought these things were…you know…out in the open?"

"Don't judge a book by it's cover, my dear!" said Ami and she walked through the sliding doors. The staff was already prepared with robes and hot towels for the girls. There were cups of tea ready as well. "No technology beyond this point."

Tara's shoulders slumped, "What?" she asked, "But I brought a new JRPG I wanted to play…"

"No technology of any sorts! This is peaceful, and it's meant to bring us closer together."

"Boooored!" Andie called out.

"JUST GO WITH IT!" Ami snapped at them.

They handed over their phones and games and anything else that could pick up on wifi and then the ladies were led to a changing room where they had to change into the spas comfortable light clothes.

"Ok…this is nice so far." Said Andie, she was enjoying how smooth the clothes were.

"Ladies…let's have a relaxing four days." Ami said.

 _Three hours later…_

The girls were enjoying an indoor hot spring with medicinal herbs in the water. They were relaxing in the water and loved the privacy. They were having a conversation about their favorite movies and television shows when suddenly…something didn't feel right.

"I wonder what's in here, Takashi!"

"Oh God…no…" said all the girls together.

They sunk deep into the water together and covered their bodies as the door to the spa flung open and in stepped Mori and Honey. All the girls but Ami froze.

"Get out of here!" she yelled at them.

Mori froze and Honey immediately pushed him out while apologizing a million times. Ami slowly looked over her shoulder at Haruhi who tried to bury herself in the water as low as she could go. "Haruhi…"

"I may have…mentioned where we would be…to Honey-Senpai…"

The girls came out of the spa with their robes tied shut and hands on their hips. However, to their surprise, not only was there Honey and Mori…oh no. There was the entire Host Club in the spa's robes and provided relaxation clothes.

"I'm going to kill you, Haruhi…" Ami muttered under breath.

"Sorry Senpai I just didn't think they'd tell anyone…" said Haruhi. Damn, she felt like she ruined everything now.

"Hello ladies," said the rest of the club.

"You left before any of us were packed and ready to go!" said Kaoru.

"Yeah, now that's just rude." said Hikaru.

"It's because you weren't invited!" Ami snapped at them, "This is for girls only! Just us. You boys go back to the university."

"But we're already here," whined Tamaki.

"And I do believe this could be a wonderful insight into the American world of natural medicine." Kyoya said as he stepped forward.

Ami sighed, she knew she couldn't get rid of these guys. It was useless. The host club went about their business, having seen her defeat, and the girls didn't seem to mind. Andie walked over to Mori and Honey, Tara was busy talking to the twins, and Haruhi was telling Tamaki about how their day had been so far.

"Something wrong, Princess?" came the cool voice of Kyoya. This time it didn't get a reaction from Ami.

"I guess not…" she said quietly. She wasn't sure why she was so determined to have alone time with a few friends. Maybe she just didn't like to be around a lot of people all of the time, since at school, she was surrounded by a lot of people most of the time.

"Why don't you show me around, hmm?" asked Kyoya, "Just the two of us."

Ami looked up at him and nodded, "Yeah," she said with a smile, "That'll be nice."

Kyoya discovered that the health resort was the length of a city block, but as tall as a tower, so they could fit what would usually be miles of open land, inside of twenty four floors. Most floors had real grass growing that was watered and given daylight just as it would outside. It was an indoor, outdoor growth system that was a new technology being developed. That way people didn't have to travel miles out of the city to get some peace and quiet. There were real birds and squirrels and bugs of all types that kept the indoor ecosystem balanced. There were small streams that carried water between all the floors and there was relaxation music playing at a low frequency so it could just barely be picked up by the body.

"Amazing…" said Kyoya, "Your father thought of all of this?"

"He had the idea, but it's the people he hires, tech students, biology students, and the sorts who make his dream come true. All he does is give them the budget and a direction to aim in."

"He's inspiring…" said Kyoya, truly in awe.

The took an elevator up to the top floor and then ascended a staircase to the rotating tower. Kyoya nearly lost his balance and Ami grabbed his hand and walked him over to an elevated sitting area. It was a plush matt that felt as if it were floating and the rest of the room were made from glass. They could see miles out of the city from the this 360 degree view tower.

"Do you come here often during the semester?" asked Kyoya.

"Mm, yeah…it helps me relax. Each of these floating beds can become a private bubble so you don't hear anything outside out of it except music that you choose. I love coming here."

"Is it open to the public yet?" asked Kyoya.

"Yeah, well, this section is reserved in advanced to only a select few. But the rest is open. I got my father to reserve the whole building for us for the next couple days."

"I'm sorry we ruined your vacation. If you want, I can convince Tamaki and the others to go back home—"

"No. It's ok. I feel better with you here…" Ami didn't realize what she had said until it was done. She blushed and then realized she was still holding Kyoya's hand and let go of it. "I mean…it's better when it's just the two of us—no! I mean…I feel better when I'm not around a lot of people…so things like this…like you and I—with only a small group are better for me…" Ami must have been as red as a tomato by this point. She was mentally slapping herself.

"Don't worry, I understand," said Kyoya, he smiled at her and placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head up. "I like being alone with you too."

Kyoya blinked and suddenly he was alone…

"Wha—Ami?" he looked around but didn't see her in the room.

In fact, right at this moment, Ami was hyperventilating in the elevator taking her as far away from Kyoya as she could possibly get right now. She panicked! And she never panicked! She was always calm, cool, and collected…but why did he just do that? They weren't playing their game…they weren't flirting…they were…they were being real! Maybe his English wasn't that good. Maybe he meant he just liked being around in a small group, like she did. Yeah that was it. Silly of Ami to think like that. Maybe she just misheard him. She was hot. She needed to cool down…

"Ami…"

She jumped when she heard Mori's deep voice come from beside her. "Oh, Senpai…sorry I didn't see you get in."

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Yes, yeah, of course, why wouldn't I be?" she was talking too fast and turned her back to Mori so she could take a second to cool off.

"There's a zen garden," Mori said, he held up a map, "It could help you relax."

"Yeah, let's do that!" said Ami, finally turning around now that she wasn't hot under the collar anymore.

The elevator took them to the 16th floor and they approached a door that said to remove their shoes. Once their shoes were off the door opened and revealed a beautiful room filled with sand, moss, and stones that lined pathways and sectioned off different gardens. Mori held out his hand to Ami and she gladly took it as he escorted her to a small sandy zen garden in the center. He picked up the rake that was placed perfectly in the center, as if waiting for them, and handed it to her.

"Do you know how to do this?" he asked.

Ami shook her head no, "Sorry, I'm afraid I've only seen the ones that can fit on your desk!" She laughed nervously—then became nervous, as Mori came up behind her and put his hands over hers. He leaned down to her height and began to step with her through the sand.

"The rocks are islands, and each wave in the sand you make, is the water…" he said calmly. Ami nearly melted into his arms but she forced herself to stay focused and she followed each of Mori's steps. "These require a lot of upkeep. Plants with grow and disturb you're waves. You must tend to it every day. Keep the waves clear. Keep your mind clear."

It was amazing how many words Mori just spoke, but even more impressive about how much he knew. Ami should have guessed that being a judo master should have made Mori a master at meditation as well. She looked up at him and saw that his eyes were locked onto the waves they made. Being this close to Mori she could finally see him clearly. He was handsome. Like all the other Hosts, but there was something particular about his eyes and the soft expression he wore. Mori looked down at Ami when he realized her grip on the rake had relaxed. Their faces were inches apart.

Mori blinked and Ami was halfway across the room.

"Wow I learned so much!—Thanks so much Senpai! I think I'm going to go find the others!" she yelled near the doorway. In a flash she was gone!

Now back in the elevator, Ami collapsed on the floor and caught her breath. She was breathing heavily and her entire body was as hot as a kitchen in the middle of summer. She covered her face and shook her head, trying to make herself forget these feelings. Her heart started racing whenever she thought of Kyoya and then her body got hot when she thought about Mori.

"HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING!?" she yelled in the elevator.

"How can what be happening, Senpai?"

Ami screamed when she heard Haruhi's voice, but calmed down. Haruhi was looking at her quizzically. "Um…are you ok, Ami-Senpai?"

"You!" said Ami, she pointed her finger accusingly at Haruhi, "This is all your fault! I wouldn't be feeling like this if you had kept your mouth shut about our spa week!"

Haruhi looked even more confused. "Senpai you look, sick, are you ok?" Haruhi touched Ami's head and then retracted it, "You're burning up, Senpai! We should get you to a doctor!"

"What?" Ami touched her own head and realized that Haruhi was right. Maybe that's why she had been feeling so slow lately. And tired…and now that Haruhi mentioned it, she did feel extra warm. "I think I'll go lay down in my room…" said Ami, "I'm sure it's just a cold, it'll be gone by tomorrow. I've got a great immune system!"

Ami did not have a great immune system. Once she realized she was sick, her entire body broke down into a fever and sweats. Tara and Andie had decided to nurse Ami back to health and they brought her cold packs, medicine, and soup. Tara could tell that something else was on her mind, but didn't bother to bring it up.

After about two days of being taken care, Ami woke up feeling fresh as a daisy! Though she was sad she didn't get to enjoy more of the resort. There was only one day left and she thought it'd be a good idea to walk through the steam floor so she could keep her lungs clear. She showered, dressed, and then peeked into the hall to make sure no one else was out there. Once it was clear, she headed into the elevator and pressed for the tenth floor.

"Good morning, Senpai!"

Ami jumped when she heard Haruhi's voice and sighed after her heart stopped racing, "You need to wear a bell or something!" she snapped. Haruhi laughed.

"You know Senpai…I was thinking about when we first got here and how you felt about everyone being here…and I'm real sorry about that."

Ami calmed down and then looked a little guilty, "I'm sorry for yelling at you Haruhi. It was uncalled for."

"But then—" Haruhi went on, and she got a sly look on her face, "I saw how you were when Kyoya-Senpai asked you to show him around and you seemed really happy about it…" Ami was already annoyed as she could anticipate the question forming. "I think you like Kyoya-Senpai, and you only wanted this trip so you could clear your head about how you feel about him!" Haruhi hit her hands together and nodded, as if she had finally figured it out.

"That's completely—"

The doors to the elevator opened and both Mori and Kyoya stepped into the elevator and Ami froze and averted her eyes.

"Good morning, ladies." said Kyoya.

"Good morning, Senpai's!" Haruhi greeted them.

"Morning…" Ami said quietly.

"Where are you two off to?" asked Haruhi.

"Mori-Senpai is off to the meditation room, and I'm going to see if I can find the head and staff and ask them some questions about the practices here." Kyoya said.

"Of course you are…" Haruhi said with an eye roll. Their floor came up and the two exited the elevator, "See you at lunch, Senpai's!" Haruhi called. Both Mori and Kyoya turned around and waved back at her.

The doors shut and Haruhi looked over at Ami with the same look that said, 'I know your secret', "Senpai…"

"Don't you say a word to anyone, Haruhi Fujioka!"

"You like **both** of them don't you? Wow…that's amazing!" Ami was the confused one now, but Haruhi went on, "That means the rest of us can help you figure out your true feelings and who you love! It'll be so fun!"

"LOVE?!"

Haruhi laughed as Ami started ranting on and on about how Haruhi was wrong and that she didn't know what she was talking about. Haruhi simply smiled at her Senpai and thought about how exciting Spring semester was going to be when it started up.


	17. Omake: What happened at New Years?

**Omake #4**

 **What happened during New Year's Eve?**

Here's what happened:

The music had slowed down and and everyone turned to watch the clock tower count down to the last second. Kyoya kept his hand on Ami's waist and neither tore their eyes away from each other. As each second passed, their faces grew closer, and closer, and then…

 _The floor opened up and they dropped down into a secret love chamber! There were rose petals and candles all over and Ami-Senpai swooned in the arms of her lover! Kyoya dipped her and brought his face closer to hers and said, "Tonight, the first night of the year, is ours…forever!" And he kissed her passionately on the lips!_

The rest of the Host Club watched as Tamaki pranced about the room re-enacting his fantasy of what happened to Kyoya and Ami on New Year's Eve.

"That's ridiculous, Boss!" said the Twins.

"Oh yeah!?" Tamaki snapped at them, "Then what do you think happened?"

"Well…" the twins started.

As each second passed, their faces grew closer, and closer, and then…

 _Another student, a long time admirer, of Ami-Senpai pushed himself between the two and challenged Kyoya-Senpai to a duel! Suddenly they both had swords in their hands and Ami-Senpai cheered from the sidelines as her lover was about to risk his life for her. Their swords clashed! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Kyoya-Senpai put up quite a fight but alas was too slow! He got nicked in the side, he was bleeding, the battle had been won…or was it?! SWIPE! He swiftly disarmed the Admirer who bowed to a foe who was greater than he. Kyoya smirked, but it didn't last long as the pain finally got to him. He dropped to his knees and Ami-Senpai ran to his side. He lay there, dying in her arms, and she stroked his face and said, "Kyoya…you were so brave. Please don't leave me." And Senpai looked up at Ami and said with his last dying breath, "Before I leave this world, my love, please bestow me with just one angelic kiss…" Ami-Senpai leaned down and gave Kyoya his last dying wish. And as the clock struck midnight, he was magically healed!_

The Twins looked at each other and nodded.

"That's impossible! If Kyoya had died he wouldn't be here!" Tamaki yelled at them.

"We didn't say he died, we said he was magically healed!" the Twins yelled back.

"Do you wanna know what I think?" asked Honey.

Everyone turned to look at him as he swiveled from side to side. "Here's what I think happened!"

As each second passed, their faces grew closer, and closer, and then…

 _Ami-Chan pushed Kyoya away and blushed and said, "Oh Kyoya, I can't! I'm so fragile and pure. What would my parent's think?"_

 _"Damn to hell what they think!" Kyoya said as he pulled her back into his arms, "You're mine now, and I'll take care of you forever, Ami-Chan. We'll get married and have lots of babies with glasses, and eat as much cake as we want, because Andie-Chan will be our chef and our life will be perfect!"_

 _"Oh Kyoya!" said Ami and the two embraced—_

"That's stupid!" said the twins and Tamaki.

"Hey!" said Honey and he whined, "Why is mine so ridiculous? Huh? It's way more realistic than what you all thought would happen!"

"Kyoya-Senpai would never say anything like that!" the twins said.

"And besides, we all know Kyoya isn't that assertive in his demonstrations of love." Tamaki said matter of factly.

"What demonstrations of love?" asked the rest of the hosts.

Haruhi and Mori sat listening to everyone arguing back and forth and then looked over at Kyoya who was seething with rage. He cracked his pen in half as they kept going on and on.

"Hey!" said Honey, "Why don't we just ask Kyo-Chan what really happened?" All eyes turned to Kyoya.

"You're all idiots…" he muttered.

"What did happen, Senpai?" asked the twins, now Kyoya was surrounded by the entire club.

"Did you kiss her, Kyoya? Where did you two disappear to after the countdown? What happened?" Tamaki was in Kyoya's face now and Kyoya looked as if he were ready to punch him.

"It's none of your damn business what did or didn't happen at the dance." Kyoya told them sternly.

"Booo!" yelled the twins.

"I told you everything that happened to Haruhi and me!" Tamaki begged.

Haruhi pulled him away by the ear and glared at him, "What?!"

The door to the club room opened up and in walked the rest of the Entertainment club and Ami bringing up the rear. The twins and Tamaki immediately cornered her by the door.

"Ami-Chan!" they greeted her, she smiled, "Did you and Kyoya kiss at the New Year's Dance?"

Ami froze. Kyoya blushed.

SLAM!

Suddenly the door was shut and Ami was gone.

"Aww…now we'll never know…" all three said.


	18. Chapter 13: A Date and a Kiss!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Thirteen: A Date and A Kiss!

The leaves were growing back on the trees and the university was finally becoming busy again.

Kaoru was wandering around on his own when he saw Tara sitting under a tree and reading. She was wrapped in a cute scarf with a mustache pattern all over it and she wore knee high brown boots fuzzy boots, that just made her the image of adorable.

"Mind if I join you?" asked Kaoru.

Tara was still reading her book and hadn't said anything, so Kaoru sat beside her anyway and watched as she turned page after page. She was really into this book. He looked at the front and saw that it was a book about some Doctor in space.

"I didn't know you liked shoju…" said Kaoru. Tara still didn't respond. He was sure now that Tara hadn't even noticed he was here. He decided to tease her. He lifted the flap of her hat and blew gently on her neck. Tara broke her concentration from her book and saw how close Kaoru was to her and she fell over. Kaoru grinned and tried his best not to laugh, "Sorry Senpai! I just didn't know what else to do to get your attention!"

Tara was beet red by this point and she gathered her book and phone into her bag, "I'm sorry, Kaoru, it's just sometimes I—"

"Get really wrapped up in a good book?" he finished her sentence for her and smiled at her. "It's ok. It's adorable, really."

Tara looked away and played with her gloves, "Was there something you wanted from me?"

He thought about it for a moment and then nodded, "How about you and I go on that date I promised you?"

Tara was surprised to hear this and she was sure this time it wasn't a joke. "R-really? With me?"

Kaoru nodded, "I like you Senpai. A lot. I want to get to know you better. So what do you say?"

"Uh…yeah… sure…" she blushed now, "I've never been on a date before."

"Then I'll be sure to make it the best one you've ever had!"

Ami couldn't send enough smiley faces and hearts to Tara after she heard the news. She'd have to buy her a congratulations gift or something close to that. Did they make cards for a 'happy first date' occasion?

"Oof!"

Ami bumped into someone and stumbled back. "Sorry!" she apologized and then looked away from her phone up at Mori who was smiling at her.

"It's ok." he said.

Immediately she felt herself blush and looked around trying to find an escape.

"Would you like to have lunch together today again, Ami-San?" asked Mori.

She paused in her frantic search to run and finally heard what Mori said. He called her _Ami-San_ …he always used to call her by her full name. "Um…yeah…sure…" she said. Mori bowed to her and then went on his way. A few of the students began to whisper. As if Ami's life wasn't filled with enough rumors, the latest was that Mori had broken her and Tamaki up and was trying to propose to Ami when they were alone. There were plenty of fans of TamAmi, but even more of KyAmi, and now a brand new mix called AMori. Ami was really hoping these girls would calm down, because she was just trying to have a normal senior year!

It was the end of the day and Ami just didn't have the energy to go to the Entertainment Club. She'd text Tara and Andie to cover for her while she took a bath in her room. Maybe that would really help her relax. It's been much easier to avoid Kyoya and Mori now that school had started, but Ami couldn't help but let her mind wander back to the resort….what would have happened if she had stayed with Kyoya? What was he planning on doing? And Mori, when he looked down at her the way he did, he made her heart stop. All Ami had to do was reach up and bring him closer to her—

NO!

She shook her head to get rid of the thoughts. She couldn't do this. School was more important. Ami's grades were rising back up to what she normally had them at, and her mother had been checking in on her every week to see if Ami had found out what she wanted to be. She had quit nearly every club except for the EC, and was now trying her hand in several different arts. She was no painter, that was for sure. But she did enjoy the music she played. Before Ami realized it, she was on the west side of Campus heading for the art studios. Maybe she would check in on her terrible flower painting. Ugh, it looked like what a four year old thought flowers looked like. A big circle in the center and then weird loops around the edges. Hopefully no one had seen it yet and she could burn it and never have to think about it ever again.

The smell of clay and drying paint overwhelmed Ami's senses as she stepped through the doors. It was quiet, save for the few classes that were going on down the hall. Ami just needed to come in for a quick second and take her painting away. She walked to studio G and saw someone was using the room.

"Oh…sorry…" said Ami, she backed out through the door until she heard the person call her name.

"Ami?" Kyoya leaned out from behind his canvas and smiled at her, "Come in."

"Oh…Kyoya…" she blushed as she remembered the touch of his soft hands under her chin. "No, it's ok, really! I can come back later—"

She turned to leave but felt his warm hands grab her wrist. He looked down at her with a soft expression and pulled her back into the room. "You're no bother, really." he said with a laugh, "Now were it Tamaki or the twins, it'd be another story."

Kyoya brought her over to his canvas and she gasped as she saw what he had been working on. A beautifully detailed vase of purple and pink flowers. The colors seemed to spill over the edge of the canvas and toward the viewer, as if gently pulling them in.

"Kyoya…this is…this is amazing…" Ami said quietly. "How long have you been working on this?"

"Just a few weeks. I like to take my time, but as I said before, I'm no professional." He shrugged, as if he could care less about the painting.

"What inspired it?" asked Ami as she scanned every inch of the canvas. She didn't notice Kyoya looking at her. Staring at her and admiring her smile and wide eyes.

"I'm not sure…" he said, taking his eyes off of her and looking back at the painting.

"What are you going to do with it?" she asked.

"Perhaps I'll keep it here…unsigned. It's just a way for me to relax is all."

Ami turned and hit Kyoya in the arm, "Are you serious?! Sign it for me when it's done! I'll buy it from you!"

He laughed, "There's no need."

"I'm serious Kyoya. I want to buy it from you. This is **art**. It's amazing. It's beautiful. I'm drawn to it. And I want it." The look in Ami's eyes was so serious, Kyoya couldn't help but laugh. And not chuckle, but a real, genuine, loud laugh. "What's so funny?"

He sighed, "Nothing. If you're that determined, Ami…" he bent down to her height and gave her a devilish smile, "I'll sell it to you, for the price of a kiss."

Damn…

Was he joking? Or was he being serious? They hadn't played their game in quite some time…is this what he had been doing? Maybe Ami had been thinking too hard about her interactions with Kyoya. They were great friends and she loved flirting with him to get a reaction out of onlookers…but there was no one else around. Just the two of them…

"What do you say?" asked Kyoya.

Ami swallowed hard and then decided to just go with it. He was joking. He was playing with her. She flashed him her sly smile and stepped closer to him, "That's such a high price, Kyoya…but if that's what it takes. It's a deal."

Time stopped.

All air rushed out of the room.

Was there a floor? Or anything to keep her standing?

She was floating…

Her heart…was full…

This…wasn't a joke…

And as suddenly as it happened…

"Kyoya are you still in here—oh…"

Tamaki stood in the doorway of the art room with his mouth agape. He didn't know what to do. Kyoya looked over at him with irritation clearly written across his face and Ami looked shocked as Tamaki just stood there.

"Should I…come…back?" asked Tamaki.

Kyoya stood up straight and tucked his hands into his pockets. "Poor timing as always, Tamaki," said Kyoya coolly, "No, I'm ready to go." Kyoya took off the coat he was wearing to protect his clothes and then handed it to Ami who still hadn't said anything. He winked at her and said, "I'll have it signed and delivered to your room upon completion." He then walked over to Tamaki who had been bouncing up and down in place with little hearts floating around him. Ami watched Kyoya leave. He didn't look back…then she touched her lips.

Kyoya had kissed her.

Tara had decided to dress in one of Ami's dresses that she kept in her closet. Ami was always buying too many dresses and so she kept the rest of her wardrobe in Tara's room. So Tara decided to pick a soft blue dress to wear and she took her hair out of it's braid and let it fall over her shoulders. Should she wear makeup? Maybe Kaoru would prefer it if she looked natural. But then she could already hear Ami's voice.

 _Just a little lipstick at least!_ She could hear her friend whining already.

Tara dug around her dresser for a while but realized she didn't have makeup. Ami always put it on her. So she walked out onto the balcony and walked over to Ami's door and knocked. Ami opened up but her eyes a little hazy.

"Are you ok, Ami?" Tara asked.

"Huh?" asked Ami. She blinked a few times and then noticed what Tara was wearing, "You're date!"

Ami pulled Tara inside of her room and tossed her into the chair in front of her vanity. She started applying makeup to Tara's eyes, cheeks, and lips, and was almost on autopilot…almost. She ended up stabbing Tara in the eye with eyeliner and then panicked and apologized over and over.

"Are you distracted by something, Ami?" asked Tara as she wiped her eye.

"Um…yeah…a little bit…maybe a lot a bit…" Ami said. She knelt on the ground and rested her head in Tara's lap, "My head is reeling…"

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"Huh?" Ami stood and answered the door and Andie rushed in with a plate full of cupcakes and three pumpkin lattes.

"What's the emergency!?" Andie asked as she started setting up her cupcakes on Ami's desk.

"How did you?"

Andie and Tara raised their cellphones.

"Tara!"

"You look distressed. You never look distressed. So it's something big. I can be late for my date."

"Are you and Kaoru finally going on a date?!" asked Andie, Tara nodded and Andie started gushing, "Oh my gosh that' so adorable! I'm so happy for you!"

"I'll tell you more about it later, but first…" said Tara, and they both turned to Ami who had thrown herself onto her bed and buried her face in her pillows.

"If you don't start talking I'll rip Mochi's tail off!" Andie threatened.

"You wouldn't!" said Ami, sitting up straight and reaching for her fox. Andie pushed her away and held onto the tail, "That's the fluffiest part of him!"

"Andie stop!" Tara said with a laugh. She grabbed Mochi and then handed him back to Ami. "Seriously…what's going on?"

"Oh um…" Ami muttered into Mochi's tail as she laid on the bed.

"What?" asked Andie, "Speak up."

"I said Kyoya…." and she started mutter again.

"Kyoya…what? What happened with him?"

Ami's face turned red.

Tara and Andie gasped as if they were about to die.

"YOU KISSED?!" The two yelled.

"Keep it down!" said Ami, she rushed to her balcony and shut the windows. "He kissed me…in the art studio…I thought we were joking…I wanted to buy his painting…he paints so beautifully you guys, it's amazing, and then he was like _I'll sell it to you for the price of a kiss!_ And I was like _It's a deal!_ And then he just did it! Like that! Like…what?! Who does that! I wasn't prepared! It felt different than it did at New Years…"

"You did kiss at New Years! I knew it!" said Andie, glowing with pride.

"It was a peck on the cheek," Ami said, "It was friendly. Or at least…at the time…it was supposed to be…should I have actually kissed him?"

"YES!" yelled Tara and Andie.

Ami planted her face back into the pillows on her bed. Andie sat next to her and started patting her head to calm her down. "Go on your date, Tara. I can take care of this."

Ami muttered a dismissal into the pillow that Tara didn't understand but she got the jist of it. "I'll be back after so we can talk more about this, young lady!" said Tara with a grin.

"What will your mother think?!" gasped Andie, "Maybe we should…CALL HER!"

Ami and Andie started fighting and Tara couldn't get rid of the smile on her face as she left the room.

Kaoru was waiting for Tara in the courtyard and he smiled when he saw her. She looked beautiful. He held out his arm to her and she happily took it. She was ready to tell him all about what happened with Ami, but then she realized…she talked about Ami a lot. So tonight she would focus on just her and Kaoru.

The rest of their afternoon went really well. Kaoru told Tara all about how he decided he'd want to study abroad more and he'd leave Japan once he got into college. He wanted to study art and design, maybe fashion like his mother. He showed Tara pictures of his parents and she showed him photos of her family, her younger sister included who just started high school.

Tara talked about how she wanted to be a writer. She spent most of her days either reading or writing and also watching television at the same time. She talked about her favorite movies and why she loved certain characters so much. Kaoru could have listened to her go on for ages.

Kaoru took her off campus to a little alley village that he had found on an adventure with Hikaru one day. It was narrow and there were a lot of people but Kaoru held her hand the entire time. They had Italian food and then sat under a fountain enjoying ice cream. Even though it was still cold, Tara felt warm around Kaoru. She hoped they'd get to do this again soon.

Ami had nearly forgotten about her lunch with Mori. She raced across campus to the cafe and saw him sitting there with a hot drink at the table for her. She sat down and apologized for being late.

"It's alright," said Mori, he seemed bothered by something and he kept glancing at his phone.

"Are you ok, Takashi?" she asked.

He smiled at her, "I like it when you call me by my first name," he said.

Ami was a little surprised by his comment, "Oh…um…you're welcome?"

He shut his phone and then looked out the corner of his eye. Ami couldn't see what he was looking, but he scooted closer to her and put his arm around the back of the chair, "I'm glad we could have lunch together again." He said.

"Me too," said Ami, "It's always nice getting to know you."

"So…Kyoya kissed you?"

Ami felt butterflies explode in her stomach and she sank in her chair a little, "Y—yeah…how did you hear about that?"

Mori looked at his phone, "Tamaki has a big mouth."

"Oh God, does everyone know?" she asked.

"No, just Haruhi and Honey and I."

"So everyone but the twins, who'll figure it out later." she sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Do you like, Kyoya?" asked Mori, he was looking ahead and sipped on his tea.

Ami was going to answer and then paused. She never asked herself this. Well she did, but she always denied it. "I—I don't know…" she looked down at her drink and stared at her reflection. "Everything has happened so quickly."

"I don't trust, Kyoya…" Mori said this so quickly it almost went over Ami's head.

"You don't…trust him?" she asked, "Why?"

"Kyoya's only worry is about getting himself ahead in life. He doesn't care about who he steps on to get there." Mori frowned now, "He only wants what will benefit him. If he gain something from it…"

He now looked at Ami who looked heart broken. If she didn't know her answer before, perhaps now she knew. "You think…he's using me?"

"I can't say for sure," said Mori, again he looked off out the corner of his eye, then looked back down at Ami, "But I want you to be careful. I don't want you getting hurt. I care too much about you to let that happen."

Ami finally saw who Mori was looking at out the corner of her eye. It was Kyoya who was sitting with Tamaki having lunch. Tamaki clearly didn't see Mori and Ami, but Kyoya did and he didn't look happy.

Over at their table, Kyoya couldn't help but look now and again over at Mori and Ami who were having a discussion…an intimate discussion. He was rather close to her and his arm was around her…had he misjudged his actions? Were the two falling for each other? Ami would have told him…or at least told Tara who would have told Kyoya about it. After all, Tara was the one who encouraged Kyoya to do what he did. She had a strong feeling it would work out well. Maybe she could have been wrong…

"Sounds like Kaoru's date is going really well!" said Tamaki who looked up from his phone, "He sent a cute picture of him and Tara-Senpai having ice cream together!"

"Tamaki do you ever stay out of other people's business?" Kyoya asked, he sounded bored and upset.

Tamaki frowned, "What's got you all knotted up? Hmm? Weren't you just glowing about your kiss with Ami-Chan!?" Tamaki started glowing at the thought, "I'm so glad I got to witness it—"

"It was absolutely nothing, Tamaki," said Kyoya, "It meant nothing at all."

Tamaki frowned. "What? Kyoya…how could you say that?"

"If you'll excuse me…I have work that needs to be done." Kyoya stood and pushed his chair away from the table loudly. Ami looked over at him and Kyoya caught her eye for a moment, pushed up his glasses, and then walked away…

"Looks like a storm is coming…" said Kaoru as they walked back onto campus.

Tara looked back up at the sky, "No…just a little rain shower is all. Nothing to worry about."

Kaoru smiled and kissed her on the cheek, "If you say so. Let me walk you back to your dorm, Senpai." Tara smiled and kept her hand laced with Kaoru's as they headed home.


	19. Chapter 14: Lights Out!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Fourteen: Lights Out!

The storm came in and settled in over Boston. The winds were fast and the rain was heavy. Some roads had to be shut down and a lot of towns lost power. Classes were shut down at BIZU and were changed to online courses instead-which was mostly review work. Student's weren't allowed to go outside and the dorm cafe's were stocked with extra food to last through the week. Thankfully the back up power generators were still running but there were warnings that there might be complete blackouts for one night.

This is the news that worried Ami. She had her room stocked with flashlights and candles, electric candles, and anything that could create light in her room. Luckily everything was still working but she was still nervous. She never did well during storms, or in the dark. And now there was a storm that was going to cause there to be dark. How much worse could this week get?

Kyoya had been avoiding Ami at all costs and she had been spending more and more time with Mori because of it. But whenever she was invited to hang out with the Host Club, Kyoya would be missing from whatever it was they were doing. Tamaki reassured her that Kyoya was just really busy otherwise he would hang out with all of them. Now Ami wasn't so sure. And she hated being uncertain.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

She opened her door to see Mori and Honey smiling at her, "We're gonna go to Tama-Chan's room. Wanna join us?" asked Honey.

"That sounds like fun! I'll be over there soon." said Ami.

The two left and she closed her door and decided to pack a candle with her, just in case…

"Haruhi, this is going to be the most romantic night of your life!" said Tamaki as he set the table in her room and ran back over to the stove to check on the curry. "A dinner cooked by your man! A beautiful rain storm outside! And…music to set the mood!"

"What kind of mood are you trying to set, Senpai?" asked Haruhi bluntly. She glowered at him.

"What?! How dare you, Haruhi! I am a gentleman." He did give her a smirk and said, "Just for that, you owe me three kisses!"

He ran over to Haruhi who tried to playfully fight him off and Tamaki almost got his kiss until there a knock on the door. Haruhi left to go answer it and she sighed as she saw the entire Host club in the hall.

"Hi Haruhi, Hi Tama-Chan!" said Honey as he, Mori and the others entered. Kyoya was here today and Tamaki was happy to see him.

"What is everyone doing here?" asked Tamaki, "I don't think we planned anything…"

"You didn't," said Kyoya, "But Honey-Senpai thought it'd be a good idea for all of us to be together and…bond."

"But we're friends, we're already bonded," said Tamaki.

Honey made a motion with his eyes to Mori and Kyoya who were standing three people apart from each other. Then Tamaki got it. "Oh...of course! Yes! Bonding!"

"Where's Ami-Senpai?" asked Haruhi.

"She'll be on her way soon." said Mori. Kyoya tensed a bit when he said that.

"Well, Haruhi and I were actually just about to have—" Tamaki was interrupted by the twins who were in the kitchen now.

"Wow, Haruhi, did you cook this?"

"No, Tamaki did."

"Wow, you've made a good housewife out of him!"

Everyone laughed but stopped when the lights went out.

"Uh-oh…" said Honey, "Looks like the generators couldn't hold."

"That's ok," said Haruhi as she felt her way across the room, "We've got candles."

"How long did the school say the power would be out?" asked Kyoya.

Haruhi lit her candle and set it in the center of the room, "I think all night, if not through 'til tomorrow." She said.

Kyoya looked down for a moment and then pushed up his glasses, "Excuse me for a moment. I believe I left something in my room."

Ami hid under her blanket and hummed the song her father used to sing to her when she was younger. It didn't help that the rain was pounding against the window to her room and it made it sound like finger nails scrapping against the glass.

A knock on her door caused Ami to jump and as soon as she sat up the window to her balcony blew open! She screamed and covered her head again until she heard Kyoya's voice.

"Amelie…it's Kyoya."

She lifted her blanket off her head and then slowly tip toed over to the door. The wind forced it's way into her room and she accidentally tripped and hit the door. She opened it and saw Kyoya with a lantern in his hand.

"Kyoya?"

He walked into her room and shut the windows for her and tied them shut with a scarf that was laying near them. He then sat on her bed and motioned for her to join him. She was still surprised by his presence. He came for her…he remembered…

The window shook again and Ami ran for the bed and covered herself with the blanket. Kyoya moved it just enough so he could find her hand. "I'm here…" he said.

The storm raged on for a few more hours and Kyoya simply did his best to distract Ami from the darkness. He had the lantern on the brightest setting and started telling her about his family.

"…my second brother is just so obsessed with what I'm doing. I think he's comparing himself to me. Which more than fine by me, on all accounts." He smirked and Ami studied his face.

"It's a game to you, isn't it?" she asked, now understanding what Mori said about Kyoya. "As long as you can beat your brothers…you're happy to play as long as it takes."

"It's the only thing I've ever known," Kyoya said, "The only thing that's been instilled in me since I was born. They think I'm going to fail. I may not become the head of the family, but I can still prove I'm better than them in so many more ways."

"Why?" asked Ami, he looked at her now. Truly looked at her for the first time in a few weeks. "Why is it so important to you? You know how great you are and so does everyone else. I think if you stop trying so hard, your father will see you don't care and he'll see you are trying to live the best life that you can."

"You don't say…"

Ami sat up now and tucked her legs in so she could hug them. The blanket drooped off of her shoulders and she looked at Kyoya with a smile, "You already have a wonderful offer from my father when you finish college. That's an American enterprise. One of the biggest companies here. You're more likely to inherit the company than I am…" Ami laughed and then she remembered Mori's words…He only does what will benefit him.

"You think so?" asked Kyoya, he smiled but stopped when Ami got out of the bed and stared at him accusingly.

"Is that why you started being nice to me?" she asked him. "So you could get close to my father and impress him? Is this all just to show your brothers you're better than them? To get close and work for the owner of a big American company?"

"Ami…" he started.

"Don't lie to me!" she yelled. Thunder boomed outside and she winced at the sound when the floor shook. She was on the brink of tears…either because of the storm, or because her heart was breaking.

"Did Mori tell you this?" he asked.

"Answer me, Kyoya…this was all to your benefit wasn't it? You had something to gain…"

Kyoya looked away so that the light cast a shadow on his eyes. "Yes…" he said. The word echoed inside of Ami's mind over and over. Her legs felt weak. Kyoya stood up and walked over to her. Ami tried to leave but Kyoya grabbed her wrist. She looked up at him but couldn't see his face. He left the lantern on the bed and was silhouetted by it. "When I found out who you were and what your father did, I thought this could be my way to showing my father I'm more than just his puppet…"

 _You're a puppet…_ he said that to her last semester, during their fight.

"I could make connections just for me, if I made you fall in love with me." Ami whipped her wrist away from him and backed against her door. The tears fell from her eyes. Mori was right…

"He had me do the same thing with Tamaki. When I first met him, the only reason I spoke to him was because my father wanted me to. He wanted to be in the good graces of the Suoh family."

The thunder came again.

"But I actually became friends with Tamaki. I thought I was cold enough to shut all of my emotions off. That idiot made it impossible not to like him for real." Said Kyoya. He walked over to Ami and knelt in front of her. He wiped away her tears and placed his hand on her cheek, "And you made it impossible not to care for you…"

Lightening struck and lit the room up. Ami saw how endearingly Kyoya looked at her. "Kyoya…" she whispered.

"You're unnaturally optimistic it's annoying," he went on, "You work harder than anyone I've ever known, including myself. You don't take no for an answer, and you're always starting a fight with me that we, for some reason, never finish. I think about you every morning, wondering when I'll see you next. I get to be myself around you. Not the cold calculating machine the others think I am. But a cold, calculating person," Ami laughed and it made Kyoya smile. "You worry so much about what other people think that you forget to take care of yourself. I hate that about you. I also hate that you can't see what you're so talented at…" he placed her hand to his chest, "reaching people…" he said.

Another boom of thunder!

Ami flung herself into Kyoya's arms and hugged him as tight as she could. He ran his fingers through her hair, caressing her, and happy just to hold her. _I love him_ …Ami thought, as she stayed there in Kyoya's arms.


	20. UPDATE

Hello my Dear Readers,

I've been without internet for several days (the horror!) so haven't been able to post any new chapters, but never fear, I've been writing in my absence of WIFI and have plenty of new chapters ready to go! Please follow or favorite the story so you'll get an update as soon as I post the latest chapter!

With love and grace,

Your Dear Host Member

AmazonR


	21. Chapter 15: Valentine's Day!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Fifteen: Valentine's Day!

The Entertainment Club would be hosting it's biggest event of the new year and everyone was invited. Mostly single students were invited to mingle with the Entertainers and the Hosts, but the invitation was open to all. Valentine's Day was the best day of the year for their club. It's when they earned the most money. They had a photo both, a sweets stand (all crafted by Andie), flowers to buy, and of course the popular _auction_ where the Entertainers raised the most money by offering theirselves as a date on Valentines Day to the highest bidder.

The Host club joined up with the EC and wore pink and white outfits and served everyone tea and snacks. Tamaki had a crowd gathered around him as he told them about the many festivals of love in France. Mori was helping Andie sell her cookies and Honey and Nate had teamed up again, to join their cuteness together and create handmade cards.

The only person who was missing was Ami, and Kyoya was worried since he hadn't seen her since the night of the storm. He had lost track of time that night and the two fell asleep in each others arms. She looked adorable when she slept, Thought Kyoya. He took out his phone and dialed her number.

"Hi Kyoya!" She sounded happy. That was good.

"Ami, I'm at the Entertainment Club, where are you? There are some clients who are missing you."

"Oh, I'm just running behind is all," Ami said. "I thought Tara would have told you why I was late."

Tara was distracted by Kaoru's flirting as he laid in her lap and had her feed him and Hikaru cookies. The brothers devised a new act where they would be fighting to win the love of Tara and the clients were loving it.

"Tara is…distracted at the moment," Kyoya said. "Will I be seeing you today at all?" he tried to make it sound casual. It would be too obvious for him to ask her out on a date on the day of all days.

"Of course!" She seemed thrilled that he asked, "I just have a few things to wrap up and then I'll be over at the club soon."

"Alright, see you soon."

What Ami had to deal with was of course, about a dozen young men and young women lined up to confess their love to her. She really hated this time of year. She sighed as each person approached with a gift in hand and shaky, wet, palms, and professed their love. Ami had written a script for this months in advanced and she recited her lines perfectly.

"This means so much to me," she said for the eighth time today, "It makes me feel so warm to know that someone could love someone like me. Alas, I'm afraid I'll have to tell you I cannot reciprocate your feelings…I'm in love with someone else and wait here patiently, hoping one day they'll see me and accept my love."

"Who would be so blind as to not fall in love with you, Miss Noble?!" demanded her eighth confessor, "I'll find them myself and—and—and I'll—"

Ami touched his hand gently and smiled at him which calmed him down immediately, "Please don't worry about me. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. But what would really make me happy today, is seeing you with…" she looked down at her lap at the flashcards in her lap, "Jamie, from chemistry. She really does love you and I'd only be wasting your time. Go to her. I'm sure she's the one for you."

And once again, Ami made a match and the young man took his flowers and went running to see a girl that Ami had matched him up with. She sighed, took a sip of water, and then waved to the next person in line…

Later…

Ami arrived to the E-Club and was greeted by cheers and flowers from the patrons. She blushed and thanked them all for their visit. Tamaki took her by the arm and led her to the second floor changing room where her outfit was awaiting her. It was a beautiful pink and white gown, paired with a pair of cupid's wings that a draped down her back like a long necklace.

"Tamaki! This is the best costume I've ever seen!" Ami said as she picked up the dress and hugged it to her body tight.

"Don't thank me," he said, "It was Kyoya's idea and the twins' mother had this in one of her collections. It was shipped straight from Japan. We will of course have to take photos of you in it, so their mother can use it on their website—"

"I'll be a model in Japan?!" In the blink of an eye Ami had changed into the dress and flashed her most charming smile, "Why didn't you say so?"

Tamaki escorted Ami down the staircase and she waved at all her admiring fans. Once at the bottom, Tamaki announced that the auction would start soon and that everyone should take their places in the parlor. Ami skipped over to Kyoya and grabbed his hand, "Thank you for picking this out, Kyo! It's beautiful!"

"Only made so because of the angel in it," he said with a bow.

Ami blushed deeply and then looked down at her feet. Kyoya was happy with these results. "Well, I hope you'll be placing a bid on me! Otherwise I won't see you tonight at the club dinner."

"You're joining the auction?" Kyoya asked, he was unaware of Ami's involvement. He thought that since she was the president and the person with the highest request rate, she'd stay out of it and let the other Entertainers shine.

"Of course! I surprise the crowd at the end. It was Tara's idea this year. She's been more vocal lately. I like it. Well, au revoir mon ami!" She blew a kiss to Kyoya and went to join the others in the parlor.

The auction went off without a hitch. Honey and Tamaki had joined together to be the facilitators and put on a great show! The first up to auctioned was Nate who, tonight, was wearing a long red wig and a beautiful white dress. Nate looked beautiful and this was the first time the Host club saw Nate outside of gender neutral clothing. They actually weren't sure if Nate was a boy or a girl, but Nate didn't mind. Nate liked to be a bit of both. And tonight, the crowd was eating it up. Nate was auctioned off for a high sum of $700.

"Rich people…" Haruhi said from the sidelines shaking her head.

After Nate, came Margo! She sported a feminine pink three piece suit with long coat tails. She straightened her hair for the day so the blue fell down over her shoulders, creating almost a halo around her. Before Tamaki could say a word, hands were already up in the air. Margo gave a wink, which caused some of the girls to faint, and the lucky winner got a date with Margo for $750.

"Not bad…" Kyoya said as he wrote down his observations in his notebook.

Honey got the crowd excited as Kieran made his way up to the stage. "He's the big, bad, boy from Ireland! The boy with the storm in his eyes! He's broken a few bones, but he won't break your heart! Give it up for, Kieran!" Boys and girls alike went wild as he walked to the center stage. Tonight he gave them his most devilish smirk and rolled the sleeves up to his shirt. He wore a red and black suit with a white tie and looked like the devil come to life. Kieran got a date with a pair of two best girl friends for $800.

"Can they do that?" Haruhi asked.

Tara nodded, "As long as they can pay the price, anyone can team up together and place a bid."

The twins, Ellie and Max walked onto the stage together, hands laced, both wearing color coded outfits. Ellie wore a beautiful white lace dress while Max wore a light pink and white suit. "Two for the price of one, ladies and gentlemen!" Tamaki announced. Hands went up and Haruhi watched as groups got together to see how much they could afford. The bidding started at $500 and only went up from there. Eventually, one young man won the two of them for $875.

Honey introduced Tara who happily joined his side on the stage. Before anyone could say anything, Hikaru and Kaoru called out, "$950!" Tara stared wide eyed at them. Many young men tried to check their bank accounts to see if they could go higher than that. One girl shouted a higher price to which the twins responded with, "$1000." And Tara was sold to the twins.

"You two can see Tara-Senpai whenever you want," Haruhi scolded them.

"We know," they said, "But we just wanted to see the disappointment on everyone elses faces."

Tamaki called Andie to the stage who walked up with a plate of heart shaped mini cakes and her pink apron on. "Wouldn't it be a romantic night in to cook with someone who's as sweet at her cakes?" Said Tamaki. The boys went wild and started throwing numbers around.

"That apron won't stay on for long…" whispered one young man to his friends who laughed. Mori heard it and stood behind him and the boy froze.

"You're not bidding." Mori said and he glared down at the guy.

"Yep, not bidding, only joking…I'll leave now." And like that, he was gone.

Andie was sold to a shy young man for $900.

That should have been everyone and as the crowd started to disperse with their dates, the lights lowered and a spotlight fell on Tamaki and Honey. "What's this Tama-Chan?" Honey asked, looking behind the stage curtain, "Why…it's a bonus prize!" Tamaki said, "And a lovely one at that!"

Ami walked through the curtain and was escorted down the runway with Tamaki and Honey at her sides. "Miss Amelie Noble has joined the auction and will donate all her proceeds to the children's hospital of Boston _and_ send each a every patient a bouquet of flowers and their favorite sweets!"

"One thousand!" yelled someone from the crowd.

"One thousand six hundred!" Yelled another person.

Tamaki hadn't even asked where to start the bids and already people were throwing their money at him. He could barely keep up with the prices. Kyoya tucked away his book, curious to see how far this would go. Once the price hit three thousand dollars, he decided to step in. If anyone was going to have a date with Ami, it would be him.

Just as Kyoya was about to speak, another young man stepped in front of him and raised his hand, "Five thousand dollars." Silence went around the room. The spotlight fell on the young man who Kyoya recognized as the quiet boy from his business class. He wasn't particularly attractive. He was average. Wore square framed glasses and dressed alright. He always stared at Amelie in class. Always stared…

"Uh…" Tamaki looked down at Honey who shrugged, "Wow…five thousand dollars. Going once…" He looked at Kyoya, "Going twice…" Kyoya shook his head, he couldn't go higher than that, "Sold! To…uh…"

"Marius," said the boy, "Marius Nines." He held his hand out to Ami and helped her down off the stage. Plenty of the other bidders were left crying in their place as he and Ami left. Kyoya narrowed his eyes, there was something not right about this.

Later that night, Kyoya sat with the host members and talked about their day. Kyoya wasn't too interested in the conversation. He kept glancing down at his phone. He didn't know why. He just had a bad feeling. At one point Mori's phone buzzed and he picked it up and responded without hesitation.

"I'll be back." was all Mori said as he stood to his feet.

Ami waited outside of the restaurant with her arms crossed trying to cool off. Marius stormed out of the restaurant behind her and grabbed her by the arm. He was dripping wet, indicating that water had been thrown on him.

"How dare you embarrass me in front of all those people!" he said. He squeezed her wrist as she tried to pull away from him.

"How dare _you_ insinuate that I only got to where I am because of my looks!" Ami snapped at him.

His grasp grew stronger on her, "It's true isn't it?"

"Ow! You're hurting me!" she pushed Marius away and took a step back. "I am a _lady_ Mister Nine! And you will treat me like such. I will not sit and have you belittle my character, no matter the cost—"

"I own you for the night, and you don't get to leave until I say you do!" he threatened. He grabbed her again and held onto her firmly. A few people watched the scene from across the street, "We're not done, until this night ends in my room—"

SLAP!

Marius backed away and held his face. Ami glared daggers at him, "You've clearly misinterpreted the meaning of tonight," she told him, her voice strong and dangerous, "I am in charge here, not you! I accepted your bid and now I decline it. You'll have a full refund of your money returned to you by the morning." Ami turned, her hair whipped around her like a cape, and she marched off down the road.

Marius, angry, chased after her and threw her against the wall of the building. He kept his hand on her waist and his other pinning her wrist against the rough brick wall, "You don't get to walk away from me," he said, he brought his face closer to hers, "You think you're this high and mighty queen who can make the world tremble and bow before her. I know your type. You're not as good as you make people think you are. Now I paid for you, _all_ of you, for the whole night. And I'll get my money's worth."

Marius tried to kiss Ami and just as he was about to lower his hands to lift up her dress, he was sent flying across the sidewalk. Ami was relieved to see that Mori had made it to her in time. She flew into his arms and stayed there, her head buried in his chest. He placed a protective arm over her shoulders and glared at Marius who was sore and had landed hard.

"Touch her again, and you'll regret it." Mori said.

Marius clenched his hands into fist, "You won't always have people around you, _Miss_ Noble. You're a sham. A woman who doesn't care about anyone but herself. Your pride will be your downfall. One day, people like me, the guys you step all over to gain your popularity…we'll be getting exactly what we deserve. Keep the money, you selfish cow!"

Marius fell to his knees after he took the blow from Mori. He held onto gut and tried his best not to throw up. "Don't ever talk to a woman like that," Mori said, "Men like you make the rest of us look bad."

Mori gently placed his hand on Ami's back and led her away. She looked over her shoulder at Marius and stuck her tongue out at him, "Jerk!"

 _You still want to grab dinner with me?_

Kyoya smiled at the text he had gotten from Ami. It was still early, her date must have ended rather quickly. Not that he was complaining. It seemed that everything was working out for the better.

"Thanks again for coming, Takashi…"

He could hear Ami in the hall now. What was Mori doing here?

Kyoya rounded the corner and watched the two. Mori was standing outside of Ami's door and he bowed to her.

"I'll always be here for you," he said and then smiled at her, "Whenever you need me." He bent down and kissed Ami on the lips. Kyoya's grasp on the railing tightened and he took out his phone to text Ami.

 _I'm not feeling well, I'll have to give you a rain check._

The two parted instantly, Ami's face was incredibly red from the moment and Mori only looked annoyed that it had ended as she read Kyoya's text.

A fire had started in Kyoya's gut as he quietly and went back to his room. This had just gone from being a friendly battle to a personal war…


	22. Chapter 16: Fighting Fire with Flirting

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Sixteen: Fighting Fire with…Flirting

The Entertainment Club was open for business and today they had quite a flurry of new patrons. As classes were just getting into a rhythm the students found more and more free time, so the E-Club was open more often. Kyoya arrived a little early today and sat down at a table. He waved Andie over to him.

"Good morning, Kyoya!" Andie gave him a big grin and he smirked.

"Good morning, Senpai…do you have any free time?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah, of course."s

"Perfect," Kyoya crossed his hands and gave Ami his most charming smile, "I'd like to request you as my Host."

Andie wasn't a complete host like Tara, the twins, or Margo, but she did like the idea of spending more time with Kyoya. She nodded and smiled, "Of course! Let me get us some coffee!"

Ami and Mori walked into the E-Club together and were having a nice conversation about the difference between his classes in Japan and the ones here. Ami started going on about how she wanted to go Japan but Mori stopped listening when he looked over and saw Andie serving coffee to Kyoya. He left Ami mid sentence.

"Um…rude…" she crossed her arms and then went to go find Tamaki.

"Good morning, Andie." Mori greeted her.

Before Andie could say anything, Kyoya spoke up first, "Forgive me, but Andie is on my time, I'm afraid you'll have to wait your turn…Senpai." Kyoya gave a dry smirk at Mori and then turned his attention back to Andie who wasn't sure what to do. She smiled at Mori and then went back to her conversation with Kyoya.

And that's how the rest of the day went. Kyoya spent all of his time with Andie and it got under Mori's skin. He didn't get a single moment with her and Ami had to take over the snack booth. Though she didn't mind—she looked incredibly cute in the apron—she couldn't help but keep looking over at Kyoya who seemed to be having a really good time with Andie…too good of a time.

"Andie did you want to take a break?" Ami asked, interrupting their conversation, "Some of your customers are missing their favorite lady."

"Um…"

Once again, Kyoya interrupted Andie before she could say anything, "Andie is off the clock today, Ami-Senpai. She's my host for as long as we're here."

A sharp pain developed in Ami's gut and it took all of her strength to muster a smile and then she walked away. And this went on for several more days. Ami found it more and more difficult to focus on her clients. Each time she heard Kyoya and Andie laughing, she felt that pit in her stomach grow more and more. The two were spending more time together outside of the club as well. They were having lunch together, sitting the courtyard and chatting, and even going on trips off the school grounds. Once in a while Kyoya would say hi to her or try and talk to her during class and Ami had to withhold from snapping at him. What was happening? Was he suddenly attracted to Andie now? Did their kiss mean nothing? And it was getting to Mori as well. He and Andie used to spend all of their free time together and without her, Mori was becoming more withdrawn.

"Takashi," Honey said, calling Mori's attention, "Why don't you just go talk to Andie-Chan?"

"She's busy." Mori said.

"Takashi…if you want something…you should fight for it." Honey said, then left to go get another piece of cake.

After lunch, Mori caught Kyoya on his own and took the opportunity to stop and talk to him. "I'm sorry, Mori-Senpai," Kyoya said, "But I'm afraid I'm late for an appointment with Andie."

"It won't take long." Mori said. Kyoya pushed up his glasses and waited for him to go on. "You've been spending a lot of time with Andie."

"Correct."

"Why? What are you after?"

Kyoya gave him his devilish smile, "If you have to ask, Senpai…then I've already gotten what I wanted."

Mori tensed and then took a deep breath, "Whatever is going on between us, leave Andie out of it."

"I'm afraid I can't do that either," Kyoya said, he checked his watch and then looked up at Mori, "You know what you're after Senpai, I just know what you want more. You can't have your _cake_ and eat it too." With that, Kyoya brushed past Mori and walked off. "Perhaps I do have a true interest in her. Wouldn't that be something?" Kyoya called over his shoulder.

Another day, another E-Club event. Andie had spare keys to the club room and liked to arrive early so she could set up shop. Though today she hoped she'd get to be a host again. Kyoya was being really attentive to her lately. Like…really nice to her. He was charming and suave, and handsome, she'd give him that…but not really her type. It was odd that he suddenly given up on Ami so quickly. She'd have to talk to her about it later, just to check up on how Ami was feeling.

"Early as usual…"

Speak of the devil! Ami walked in carrying her school bag with her and went upstairs to change into her casual attire.

"Hi Ami!" Andie called up to her.

"Planning on hosting anyone today?" Ami asked from the second floor.

"Um…well…maybe." Andie said, "I'm not too sure though. I might just get back to working the cafe bar." Andie started filling her kettles with water and set them to start boiling.

"Good," Ami said as she walked down the stairs, she had a serious look in her eyes, "I think you're more efficient when you're there."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Andie asked, she had paused mid-way from unpacking her dishes.

Ami shrugged and tossed her hair over her shoulders, "Nothing! Just that we're all good at particular things and should stick with what we're best at."

"I thought I did ok as a host…" Andie muttered as she finished setting the dishes out.

"Of course you did," Ami said and she gave Andie one of those fake smiles she gave to their guests, "It was cute." The cut Andie like a knife. Ami was being condescending, which means she was upset.

"Why are you attacking me?" Andie asked, she put her hands on her hips, "Is this because Kyoya chose to spend his time with me?" Ami tensed, that was it. This was about Kyoya. "Maybe he wanted to change things up a bit, Ami. I don't know why he picked me, I can't read minds."

"Something as trifle as that wouldn't get under my skin," said Ami, trying to brush off the tight feeling she had in her gut.

Andie furrowed her brows and started refilling the snack bar, "Fine then."

"Fine." Ami straightened her dress and proceeded to braid her hair while Andie finished setting up. There was a thick tension between them. Honey and Tamaki were the first to arrive moments later and behind them Margo, Tara, and Kieran. The hosts went about their business to set up everything in order to welcome their guests.

The tea kettles were slowly boiling…

"Andie-Chan!" Honey ran up and took a treat from the glass case and sat in front of her, "Are you going to host again today? I'd love it if we had some time together!"

Andie smiled at Honey, "Sure, I—"

"Andie is staying behind the counter today, Honey." Ami said, the two girls locked eyes. Haruhi walked in with the twins and Kyoya and could instantly sense the heat of their anger.

"Or maybe, I can take a break later and still be a host." Andie suggested.

"Today's our busiest day," Ami said, "You know that. We need you behind the counter."

"Or you just want me to stay behind here so I don't take away your attention!" Andie snapped.

Silence.

Mouthes hung agape.

Tara stood up to try and get between the two but Ami stepped forward and glared at Andie. "Excuse me?"

Andie tossed down her cleaning rag and folded her arms, "Maybe I don't want to always be the girl you call when you're running low on cakes and cookies! Maybe I don't want to always stand in the back of the room and serve people all of the time! Maybe there are times I don't want to wear my apron, Ami!"

"I invited you to join this club because you needed more time to practice your baking. You practically volunteered for this role. What else did you expect? I've allowed you join in on _all_ of the E-Club's events, even though you aren't an actual host. You're the one who put yourself there, not me!"

Andie walked out from behind the cafe bar, "If I put myself there, then I can take myself out, Ami! I volunteered so I could help you get this club off it's feet! You said I was important, but now I see I'm only important as long as I don't get in your way!"

"We're done discussing this." Ami said, her voice cold and sharp.

"No, we're not." Said Andie, "You get showered in attention practically 24/7. Why does it bother you so much that I steal the attention of one particular person? Hmm?"

"Andie…" Tara stepped in between them now.

"Why do you have to have everyone's love and affection? Why do you have this insane need to be drooled over? Everyone already knows you're pretty, and smart, and supposedly this all around perfect girl who can do no wrong! What's wrong with someone being attracted to someone who isn't you?!"

Mori was the last one to enter the club and he had heard the last half of the fight from down the hall. The aura of the room had gone dark very quickly.

"Ok, everyone just needs to take a deep breath—" Tara tried to calm them down but there was no way to break the tension between Ami and Andie.

"You're done," Ami said, "The Entertainment Club doesn't need your services anymore."

"Ami…" Tara looked between her friends and saw the hurt was clear in both of them. Andie took off her apron and marched out of the room. Ami turned and left everyone and headed up to the second floor to be on her own.

"Did you get what you wanted?" Mori asked Kyoya as he walked by him.


	23. Chapter 17: Operation - Friendship!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Seventeen: Operation - Friendship!

It had been two weeks since Ami and Andie's big fight and Tamaki was sick and tired of everyone being upset with everyone. Kyoya and Mori weren't talking to each other, not even brief passings in the halls. Ami refused to speak about her fight with Andie and went on as if nothing had happened. Honey tried to work the cafe bar but wasn't familiar with how any of the systems worked. He over-steeped customers tea more than once, though they still drank it to make him feel better. Nate and Kieran tried their best to help out while Ellie and Max kept everyone busy with talking about preparations for the Spring Play.

"This is a disaster…" Haruhi said as she and the other hosts sat together, "Without Ami at 100%, this club can't function and without Andie, no one is comfortable."

"There has to be a way we can fix this," Tamaki said, rapping his fingers on the table. "They're such good friends. We can't allow this ship to sink!"

"How did Ami and Andie meet?" Hikaru asked.

They all thought for a moment, "I don't think they ever talked about it," said Kaoru, "Maybe Tara might know."

Across the room Tara was busy checking in on each guest and apologizing for the delays in the host time. She was incredibly stressed and even more so when clients began to ask about Ami and where she had been lately. At the end of the day, Tara was happy to collapse onto a couch and rest her head in Kaoru's lap.

"You wanna know how Andie and Ami met?" she asked, as the hosts sat around her. Hikaru served her a cup of tea, "I mean…I thought you knew?"

"All we know is that Andie's family is in a contract with Ami's." Kyoya said.

Tara sat up and recalled as much as she could remember…

 _It was a winter wedding…_

 _One of Mr. Noble's employees had gotten engaged some time ago and he was more than happy to attend an employee's wedding. He was a pretty emotional guy. Ami had met Andie who was working with her family at the craft service table. They had catered the entire thing. Mr. Noble was one of the first to dive into the cake and was amazed at how wonderful it was. It was soft and moist, the frosting melted in your mouth, and they had decorated it with little edible pearls._

 _"Darling try this!" Mr. Noble said to his wife, he tried to feed her a bite but she pushed him away._

 _"You know I'm avoiding sweets, dear." She said._

 _Mr. Noble frowned, finished his piece, and then went back for a second. It then he ran into the caterer and his wife, "Ah, you must be the family who created all of this fine food." Mr. Noble said._

 _"Uh, yes sir. Suren and Sons Baking. This is my wife, Bridget, I'm Runie and over there is my daughter, Andie."_

 _"Terrance Noble, of…well…Noble Entertainment Company!" Mr. Noble gave a hearty laugh and then shook Runie's hand. "You have some fine work here. How long have you been caterers?"_

 _"Practically our entire lives," said Runie, he chuckled, "We've been serving royalty for nearly two hundred years in our family. It's all our own recipes, passed down from generations of Swedish cooks."_

 _Mr. Noble's eyes sparkled, "Served royalty you say?"_

 _Ami was just about to enjoy a piece of cake without her mother watching her and then her father surprised her and took her to the back of the kitchen where the Johanssen family was waiting._

 _"Amelie, my dear, please meet the Johanssen's the family that catered this event."_

 _"A pleasure to meet you," Ami said and then curtsied to them._

 _"I've decided they'll be a part of Noble Corporations. They'll cater all of our big events, and open up shops in each of our hotels and luxury vacation locations."_

 _"Did you tell mom about this?" Ami asked, giving her father a skeptical look._

 _"Your mother doesn't always have to approve my plans!" he whined._

 _"Either way," Ami shrugged, then she smiled at the family, "I'm sure it'll be a great investment."_

 _"This is amazing, Mr. Noble…" Bridget said, she placed her arm around Andie, "You've done us a great favor, for our entire family."_

 _Mr. Noble was practically glowing and he ran his hand through his hair and took Bridget's hand and kissed it, "Anything I can do to bring a smile to your face, madame, is worth the effort." Runie wasn't sure how to react as Bridget blushed and then hid behind her husband. "In fact!" said Mr. Noble, he snapped his fingers and Ami took out his check book from her purse, "Let me give you a starting bonus! You mentioned that little Andie here would like to attend Boston High School University didn't you?"_

 _Andie nodded, "Yes, that's right Mr. Noble."_

 _"Well it just so turns out that my little Amelie got accepted into the school and it would make me feel better to know that she has friends there before she starts," he took the check book and wrote a sum on it, "Think of this as a long term investment."_

 _He handed the check to Andie who gasped and then handed it to her father who fainted. Bridget held her husband and stared at the check in his hand, "Mr. Noble…this could pay for—"_

 _"All four years at BIZU, yes. If your daughter wants to only get better at her craft, she should study at only the best school in the country. We'll see you at fall orientation."_

 _Mr. Noble waved to the family and Ami ran forward and shook Andie's hand, "My dad's a little eccentric, but it'll be good to see a familiar face at school." She winked and then left to follow after her father._

 _"Oh!" Mr. Noble turned around and smiled at the Johanssen's, "If there are any leftovers of that cake, please ship it to my home in Beverly Hills. I'll cover the cost." They laughed, thinking the man was joking. This was a huge wedding and there'd be pounds of cake left over, "I'm serious…" he said, his face stone cold, "send me_ _ **all**_ _the left overs." Then he smiled and left._

"That's how Ami and Andie met?" Haruhi asked, "Over a business deal?"

Tara nodded, "I mean…it's nothing like how she and I met, obviously, but that doesn't mean it meant any less to Ami. Her father connected her and Andie and Andie really has been a great influence on Ami. It was Andie's idea to have sweets to offer to the guests. And Andie suggested Ami pull back a little and act a bit more…modest—" Tara thought of the moment the three girls planned their first event together. Ami wanted to dress as a show girl and Andie gave her a firm no. "—and without having met Ami, Andie would be stuck in the school kitchens on her own. She met a lot of bad people here and Ami is sort of…really good and knowing whose a good person and who isn't. And she can be one demonic woman when her friends are treated poorly." Tara remembered when someone had made Andie cry and it took all of her strength to peel Ami away from the girl. Once Ami had calmed down, she proceeded to quietly ruin the girls reputation, which forced her to leave school. Which in the end…ended up solving a lot of the bullying issues. "They always have each other's interest at heart…" said Tara, she sighed, "We have to do something to get them back together."

"I think…I have an idea…" Tamaki said.

"Thanks for helping me get my things, Mori…" Andie said as she and Mori headed across campus to the E-Club.

"Yeah." Mori said.

They walked through the doors and Andie carried a box over to the cafe bar. Just as she started to pack she heard Ami's voice from the second floor balcony. "I don't see why we have to change any of our plans, Tamaki. Everything looks fine."

Tamaki looked over the railing and saw Andie and then grabbed Ami by the hand and flew down the stairs with her. He pushed her in front of Andie and the two stared at one another for a long time.

"Ami…" Andie said quietly.

Ami averted her eyes, "Andie…" she muttered.

Immediately tears welled up in Andie's eyes, "I'M SO SORRY I SAID ALL THOSE HORRIBLE THINGS!"

"I'M SORRY I WAS SO COLD TO YOU!" Ami said through her own tears.

The girls embraced and started crying and apologizing to each other.

" _That_ was his grand plan?" asked the twins from the back of the room.

"Typical…" Haruhi sighed.

"Ami I never want us to fight like that again, that was the worst and I felt so bad! You know I think the world of you! You're my best friend!" Andie cried.

Ami hugged her even tighter, "I know, I'm so sorry. I love you so much, and you deserve to do whatever you want! We can even hire someone to take your place on some of the days so you can have a break!"

"Girls…" Sighed Hikaru. He looked over at Tara who was already tearing up at the sight of her friends getting along again.

"Maybe it's an American thing…" Kaoru whispered.

"And to think we almost lost each other because of one stupid fight." Andie said, now wiping her eyes.

"More like one stupid guy…" Ami said and then the two girls glared daggers at Kyoya. "Let's never let something as trivial as a boy ever come between us again, ok?!"

"OK!"

Tara ran over and hugged her friends and it seemed like all was well again.

Days later, the E-Club was up and running like normal and Andie was officially a part-time host. She still loved to cook and make tea for everyone, but once in a while she'd leave her counter and sit with some customers who requested her. Andie's request rate actually increased the amount of customers the club received and this made Ami very, very, happy. Especially seeing Mori and Andie sitting on the terrace outside and enjoying each other's company. It actually made Ami feel pretty guilty…

"Andie, this weekend I'll need you and Tara to have brunch with me." Ami said as she walked past her, "I have something I should probably tell you."

"Oh?" asked Andie, "Sure I'll meet you."

She wondered what Ami had to tell her…


	24. Chapter 18: Rapunzel Rapunzel!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Eighteen: Rapunzel, Rapunzel!

"You kissed Mori!?"

Andie and Tara sat in Ami's room as she buried herself under her blanket again and moaned like she was sick.

"Someone sure has loose lips…" Tara whispered to Andie.

"TARA!" Ami cried out. She then looked at Andie and flung herself into her best friend's arms, "I'm so sorry Andie! I've seen how close you and Takashi have been getting! I didn't intend for this to happen!"

"What?! I don't—what are you—noooo!" Andie waved her hands around defensively and laughed and blushed and tried to brush it all off. Both Ami and Tara gave her blank looks that said _we know you're lying_. "Ok…well…maybe a little…but I mean…hey! It's Ami! Everyone's in love with her."

"Andie…" said Ami seriously, "That's…this is unacceptable!" She clapped her hands together, "I just need to write out everything that's happened and look at it logically. What happened with Mori was…a fluke…It was an emotional moment—which seems to be happening to me a lot lately—and besides it probably didn't mean anything, at all haha!"

"Did your foot pop?" asked Tara. Ami looked as if she had been shot by an arrow, "I thought so…" Andie now looked like she had been hit as well which caused Ami to start freaking out all over again.

Tara's phone beeped and she saw that she had a message from Kaoru: _Mori-Senpai told me about what happened! ;D Good for Ami-Senpai!_

While Ami continuously apologized to Andie, Tara started texting Kaoru: _It doesn't mean a thing! Kyoya kissed her first, and I'm team KyAmi! :P_

Kaoru messaged back: _AMori is more like it. Their name even sounds like love in French! Besides, Kyoya isn't auditioning for the school play…Mori is._

"Mori's auditioning for the spring play?!" Tara read outloud.

"What?!" asked Andie and Ami at the same time. "Didn't Ami already get cast as Rapunzel in it who has…a…kissing scene…with the male lead?" Andie asked, Tara nodded. Another arrow struck Andie and Ami panicked and picked up her friend who fell unconscious!

"You're ruining everything, Ami…" Tara sighed as she went back to texting.

"WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN NOW?!" Ami yelled at her. Tara shrugged, just like the twins would.

"What do you mean you're not auditioning for the play?" Tamaki asked as he and Kyoya worked on their homework in his room. "This is war, Kyoya! Two gentlemen sparing for the love of a beautiful maiden!" Tamaki had hearts in his eyes as he imagined both men in armor clashing with swords on horseback.

"Getting into a play and auditioning for the lead role, is not a tactic one uses in war," Kyoya sighed, as he flipped through his history book, "Besides…I don't believe Mori-Senpai can even act—"

"He got the role…" Tamaki said as he read the newest text from Kaoru.

Kyoya was defeated, "Well perhaps there **is** something I can do to assist the theater students." He pushed his glasses which gave off a dangerous glint.

In the school theater Ami sat on a pile of black boxes that were in place for her tower that would be built soon. She wore a very long, very thick, black wig that made her head fall to the side, and Andie was in charge of wardrobe and kept _accidentally_ stabbing Ami with her needle.

"I said I was sorry!" Ami whispered harshly to her as Ami worked on her hem.

"You better not enjoy the stage kiss…" said Andie, "It's _just_ a stage kiss!"

"I don't even know how he got the role," said Ami, "I didn't even think Takashi could act! He barely says more than three words to anyone."

Up in the directors booth Ellie and Max laced their fingers together and chuckled evilly. There was a stack of papers in front of them and a ton of head shots that were in the garbage except for Mori's. They clearly had something to do with this. Max reached forward and pressed the microphone to speak.

"We'll take it from the top of scene three!" Max said happily.

Andie got off the stage and Kyoya, up in the tech booth, flashed the spotlights onto Ami. He dimmed them enough so she looked as if she were glowing.

"How it saddens my heart to be trapped in this tower all day and all night, with not but a single soul to speak," Ami recited. She wasn't the best actress, but she could at least memorize her lines well and play the part.

"Silence!" came the booming voice of Tamaki from off stage. His lighting was a dark red as he crept over to the tower, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel! Tis I! You're evil captor the wizard! Let down your raven hair!"

Ami halfheartedly flipped her head to the other side and Tamaki grabbed the braid and tried to climb up it until the black boxes started to shake.

"Tamaki, don't actually try to climb it yet!" Ami called but it was too late. Tamaki had fallen, taking half of the braid with him and Ami fell off her makeshift tower and into the arms of an awaiting Mori.

Andie snapped her needle in half and Kyoya growled as he turned on the house lights. He motioned to Ellie and Max to take a break and they agreed. "Take ten while we reset the stage…" Ellie said through the microphone.

"Um…Takashi…you can put me down," said Ami. He didn't even notice he was still holding onto her and placed Ami back onto the stage.

"Andie-Senpai," called Kyoya's voice, "Do you mind coming with me for a moment. I require your assistance in a delicate matter."

Andie was surprised that Kyoya needed something from her. He hadn't really spoken more than a few words to her…ever. But still she walked with him up to the tech booth and Kyoya shut off all the microphones so no one would hear them.

"What did you need?" asked Andie once they were alone. Kyoya looked at her with a sadistic look and she was instantly afraid of him. He looked back down at the stage and she followed his gaze.

"Senpai…how opposed are you to sabotage when the man in question is someone you like?"

"Well as long as no one guts hurt then I am - WAIT WHAT DO YOU MEAN I DON'T LIKE ANYONE MMMMMMMM" Andie turned a dark shade of red and Kyoya had his answer.

"Wait…" She asked, "Why…" It took her a second and then it clicked, "Ohhhhhh Kyoya! Are you thirsting for the Noble?" She knew the answer but just wanted to tease him.

"What the hell, does _thirsty_ mean?" Kyoya asked.

Andie grinned, "It means you're looking for lovin' my friend!" she nudged him and winked.

Kyoya sighed and crossed his arms, "My question is merely about your desire to be in Ms. Noble's shoes, so to speak. I am no more emotionally invested than anyone else."

"Suuuuuuuure…" said Andie, "You like her and everyone here except you and Ami know that. Boy you two are thick…"

Kyoya cringed but held his composure, "Just as everyone can tell you have deep feelings for Mori-Senpai, save for you." He rebutted. Andie was going to defend herself but Kyoya held up a hand and focused on the stage. "No one has to get hurt, but I think it would be in both of our interests if say…one of the two were no longer the lead in the play. What do you say?"

Andie thought about it for a moment, "This is rather devious…" she said. She watched as Ellie pushed Mori and Ami together so that he was holding her intimately, "But then again, Ami always gets her way, so it wouldn't kill her to miss being in one school play."

"My thoughts exactly," said Kyoya, happy that he could convince her to join his side, "now all we have to figure out is…how do we get rid of them?"

The next week Andie stood on the stage taking Mori's measurements, and she waved for Max to come over to her. "I just don't have enough fabric to fit someone of Mori's size," Andie said, she tried to sound as sincere as she could, "I mean…we've never had someone this tall in a school play before. Maybe Tamaki and Mori could switch? The robes would fit Mori easier and Tamaki already is basically a prince!"

"ME! As the handsome and daring prince?!" Exclaimed Tamaki. He ran over to Ami and dipped her as she laughed, "My fair princess…it is I, you're one true love, come to rescue you from this imprisonment and carry you away to my castle where we will be at peace for once and for all!"

Everyone around the stage clapped and applauded Tamaki who beamed with pride. He had taken it upon himself to memorize everyone's lines in the play, so he could stand in for someone if reason called for it.

Ellie looked from Tamaki to Mori and then back to the smiling Tamaki and the back to the indifferent Mori. "We should call in a tailor then," said Ellie. Kyoya and Andie both felt arrows strike them, "I want to be different this year! As the director of this play, I want to show that the prince doesn't always have to be the typical blonde, handsome man who is always cast! Instead, the dark, brooding, bad guys can also be the heroes!" Now Mori had an arrow through him.

"Bad guy?" he whispered.

"Let's keep this moving people. We only have two more weeks of rehearsal!" Ellie said, she clapped her hands and the stage was back to being reset.

The next week was tech rehearsal and everything went smoothly until Mori got onto stage. The lights barely lit him and his microphone kept cutting in and out. He glared up at the tech booth but couldn't see Kyoya past the lights. Kyoya still flashed him a dirty smile even if Mori couldn't see.

"Kyoya what the hell!?" said Ellie as she kicked open the tech door.

"I'm trying my best, Miss Director but these lights weren't meant for someone as massive as Mori-Senpai."

"Let me see…" said Ellie as she took over the control booth. She tried every combination she could but nothing worked. And that was because Kyoya had reprogrammed the booth in his spare time so nothing would light someone taller than six foot.

"And the microphone?" Ellie asked through gritted teeth.

"Faulty wiring, obviously. I'm surprised this school uses such cheap tech." Kyoya shrugged and Ellie looked like she was going to pop a vein.

"Perhaps Tamaki should take Mori's role?" asked Kyoya, "Look, he's nearly half the height of the tower. Tamaki would make it look more realistic."

Ellie slammed her head on the keys until she got an idea! "No! We'll light him so we don't see his face until both of them share their kiss in the tower! It'll be romantic! The mysterious dark prince! I can see it now! And he'll just whisper all of his lines so everyone has to lean in real close to hear!"

"Damn…" whispered Kyoya.

Finally it was the last week before the show opened and this week was a full dress rehearsal and they'd be going through every scene from beginning until the end. Kyoya and Andie sat in the tech booth and watched the play. Up until now, Ami and Mori hadn't performed their stage kiss…but time was drawing dangerously near and the two had already spent more than enough time together as it was.

"What are we going to do?" asked Andie, "I really like Ami, she's my best friend but…"

"It hurts to see the person you love with someone else…" Kyoya said, finishing her sentence. His was face was just shy of forlorn but Andie didn't say anything. Kyoya was so dumb…she thought.

The night of play…

The lights went down and everyone in the auditorium hushed as the play began. Kyoya watched from the booth and lazily did the special effects and lights when he needed to. He and Andie tried their best but there was nothing they could do in the end. During each act break, Kyoya went down to congratulate Ami. He didn't have a lot of time with her as they had to hurry and get her to change for the next scene.

The audience was impressed by Mori's acting. He was no Romeo, but his cool exterior, and his deep voice made nearly everyone in the audience swoon. Finally the kissing scene was about to come up. Tamaki and Mori had just finished their battle.

"Curse you, mysterious prince! Before I go, I'll reveal your true form…to the WORLD!" cried Tamaki.

Kyoya flipped through the script but he didn't remember that line being in there. He couldn't find it. Suddenly—-

FLASH!

The tech booth was drowning in light and Kyoya held up his hands to block. The door to the booth opened and he was being dragged out and stood in front the audience. Gasps went around the theater as he looked from happily surprised faces to the confused expression of Ami in her tower.

"So this is your prince, little girl! Tell me…do you still love him?" asked the dying Tamaki who should have died minutes ago. He waved at Kyoya to hurry up and get to the stage.

"I know…" started Ami, trying to improvise her lines, "That no matter what my prince looks like, I will love him until the end of days."

"Then cast your eye upon him!" Tamaki said.

The lights on stage lowered as Kyoya finally made it there, and Ami could finally see who it was. She gasped, then smiled, and then looked down at Tamaki who tried to hide his sly smirk. Ami held out her hands to Kyoya and motioned to the braid that led up to her tower, "Come to me…" she said. Kyoya climbed the short distance up to Ami's window and sat where Mori was supposed to sit. "Your eyes are healed…I thought the wizard blinded you." She said.

Kyoya took her hands as he had seen Mori do over and over and smiled at her, "T'was your tears that healed me as I lay dying at your tower base," Kyoya recited, "The wizard may be powerful, but his magic cannot stand against the power of true love."

"Awww…" sobbed the audience.

"Will you take me away from here?" asked the princess.

The prince lifted the princesses chin and leaned in for a kiss, "As far as you are willing to travel with me."

Everyone held their breath as the lights closed in on Kyoya and Ami. Ellie was being held down by Max who watched the scene with a happy smile, "I know it's not how you saw it going, sis, but let it happen. This is love." said Max.

Their lips were just about to touch when suddenly—

"Imposter!" yelled Kaoru's voice from below. The stage lights came up and there stood Kaoru in a guards uniform. "This is not the true prince! Arrest him!"

What happened next was absolute, pure, anarchy. Hikaru joined Kaoru on stage and dragged along Haruhi who was wearing the princes costume. Tamaki chased after the twins who grabbed Kyoya and ran with him off the stage. Ami remained in the tower. She couldn't move, and froze when everyone looked up at her. Ellie was screaming her head off in the directors booth and felt like killing someone and Andie and Tara sat in the audience eating popcorn and watching the whole show fall apart.

"Worth it…" said Tara.

"You planned this?" asked Andie.

"I may have let it slip to Kaoru that Tamaki made a plan to replace Mori with Kyoya for the final scene."

"Why would you do that?" asked Andie, "I thought you wanted Ami and Kyoya together?"

"Oh I do!" said Tara, "But I think Ami deserves as much chaos as she's brought, don't you think?"

Andie smiled and punched her friend in the arm, "Tara, I don't know what's gotten into you, but I like it!"

The two laughed together as Ami disappeared inside her tower and tried to climb out and disappear back stage. Honey jumped on stage in costume as well and took Ami by the hand pulled her away, but the twins stole her back and it became a mess. The audience laughed and cheered as the lights faded out.


	25. Chapter 19: A Race for the Club!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Nineteen: A Race for the Club!

The room was chilled as if a frost had come in and covered all the windows and walls. Everyone sat at attention as they waited for Ami-Senpai to speak. There was an evil looming over her, as if she had been possessed by a spirit. No one dared to utter even a syllable for fear she'd strike at them.

"Um…Ami?" came Tara's voice. The Host and Entertainment Club gasped as she broke the silence. "Why are we here?"

"I'm glad you asked," said Ami, she stepped forward and most of the club members scooted back. "As you can see, we're missing Margo from our usual club debriefing…" Everyone looked around and now noticed that the blue haired sports queen was gone, "Margo is in the hospital with a broken foot." GASPS. "One of the girls from the Salem High School soccer team ran into her…"

"But that's impossible!" said Ellie and Max, "Margo is built like a brick house!"

"We're having a meeting because a club member's foot is broken? Shouldn't we just go visit her in the hospital?" asked Haruhi.

Ami gave a calm smile to Haruhi which made the members sitting next to her scatter, "When Margo was taken to the hospital, she found THIS in her bag!"

Ami tossed down a doll made out of twigs with grass attached to it's head that was dyed blue. MORE GASPS. "It's a voodoo doll!" cried Ellie and Max. "They're witches!"

Ami tossed her hair over her shoulder and looked at the members of the Host Club who were still confused. She sighed. "Every Spring, Bizu is the reigning champion of the Sports Marathon hosted here. We've only had such luck because Margo is the best athlete the school has ever seen."

"Every year someone tries to take her out of the game, but Margo never falters because she's amazing." said Kieran. That was the most anyone had heard him speak.

"Margo is the only reason we still have those shiny trophies in the mess hall," said Nate, "She's our star player."

Ami turned her back as a fire erupted behind her eyes, "And every year the Entertainment Club rakes in their biggest amount of donations because people want to keep supporting Margo on her scholarship…and we take in 10% of what she earns…" she calmed down and then looked back at everyone, "Without Margo, we could lose all of our funding and the club will shut down."

"Aren't you graduating, Senpai?" asked Haruhi.

"I am…" said Ami, suddenly she was melodramatic, "But I created this club, and I always imagined it would live on well beyond my short lived stay here at the school. With Tara and I gone, and with the club losing it's funding…why…it just breaks my heart!"

Tamaki started to tear up. Ami hooked him with her bait, "We'll help you save your family, Ami-Senpai!" he cried as he hugged her. Only Kyoya saw the evil glint in her eye as she hugged him back.

"The first thing we need to do," said Ami as she ripped Tamaki away from her, "Is find out who the bastards were to take Margo out…and we make them wish they'd never crossed me…us…"

The rest of Entertainment Club adopted the evil look that Ami had in her eyes and it frightened most of the Host Club. Haruhi thought Ami couldn't have been more alike to Kyoya if she tried, but clearly she was wrong. She was very, very, wrong.

"What about the actual marathon?" Kyoya asked. Ami suddenly appeared beside him and played with the tie around his neck.

"Well…" she started, "A little birdie told me that you and Takashi were the most talented athletes at your school. As well as Honey."

"That's true…" said Kyoya. He choked when Ami pulled him closer by his tie.

"So you're going to take Margo's place in the races, or so help me God, I'll make your life a living hell. Not even the ocean between us will quench my rage…I will come for you and your descendants…"

"Right so what are the races we have to enter?!" asked Honey who hid behind Mori—who was now clear across the room.

Ami let go of Kyoya's tie and smiled happily, "You're all so sweet to volunteer!"

Kyoya didn't know it was possible to be more attracted to Ami. He didn't let it show. Instead he fixed his tie and took out his phone. He'd have to do research on the other schools…his phone was ringing. He excused himself from the meeting to step out into the hall.

"Hello, father…"

The following week the other school sports teams arrived at Bizu. They had cheering squads, bands, and even loyal student followers who wore their schools colors and painted their faces. It was a grand sight to see as they took up residence in the guest grounds near the sports arena.

Kyoya hung around Ami and gave her all the information she needed on the other schools and their team leaders. She flipped through the paperwork and scanned every single page twice so she could commit the numbers and facts to memory. It was impressive and Kyoya enjoyed seeing Ami like this. In a passionate rage that could bulldoze any competition brought her way.

"Well…well…well…"

Ami stopped what she was doing and turned around to face her guest. Behind her stood a tall red headed girl with dark green eyes. She was beautiful and elegant, and wore Salem Girls Private School colors. A disgusting red plaid dress that would even insult a color blind man.

"Look who it is girls," said the red head, two other girls appeared at her side, "It's little Miss Daddy's Girl, Amelie Noble."

"Rachel! It's good to see you again. I see you finally got rid of those blotches on your skin, how wonderful!" Ami hugged her, but Kyoya was sure that if the girls had knives they'd be stabbing each other in the back. "Kyoya, this is Rachel Amber, the student body president and head of SGPS Security Force."

Kyoya stepped forward and bowed to the girls. Rachel's lackies blushed as he smiled at them. "A pleasure to meet you ladies. I'm Kyoya Ootori, of Ouran High School in Japan."

"It's a shame you picked this school to go to," said Rachel, she didn't flinch as Kyoya flashed his charming smile at her subordinates. She was like a boulder, she couldn't be shaken. "You would have had a much better class of people to entertain you in Salem."

"Is that right?" asked Kyoya, "I wish I would have seen that on the schools website. I was simply going by which schools had the best reputation."

"Gah!" Rachel felt like an arrow hit her. Ami covered her mouth to hide her smile though Rachel could still see it. "You know what?" started Rachel, once she recovered, "We don't have time for this. I just wanted to come size up the competition. It looks like Bizu has lost their star player. What a shame."

"Margo is comfortably recovering in one of my father's private medical clinics and she'll be back on her feet very soon. Thank you for your concern, though." Ami said, "I think of it as a blessing in disguise. It just means we get to show off our exchange students skills." Here Ami flashed Rachel a dangerous look. She held out her hand and Kyoya handed her cards with their teams profiles on them, "You see we were lucky enough to have Japan's most talented athletes here. You may have heard of the Haninozuka and Morinozuka family name? They're world class Judo, Karate, and Martial Arts masters. I tried to tell them how easy this would all be for them, but they insisted to play anyway. They promised to dial it a bit back for the other players though, so it'll still seem like a fair game."

Rachel and her team were finally knocked down a notch as they flipped through Mori and Honey's information.

"And Kyoya here has volunteered to join the football team. Tamaki Suoh, he's another exchange student, really enjoys soccer. He even has a signature move that supposedly makes the ball move so quickly you'd miss it if you blinked. What does he call it, Kyoya?"

"The starlight kick."

"Yes," said Ami and she smirked at the girls, "The starlight kick."

"Oh yeah!" snapped Rachel, "What about you, Noble? Are you going to finally compete this year? You sit every single game out. It's almost like you're afraid…"

"Oh I'll be competing in the triathlon." Ami said.

Rachel smirked, "Hope that asthma of yours doesn't come back. It'd be a real shame for every one to see their Goddess is really a peasant like them."

"No matter how hard the wind blows," Ami said as she turned and took Kyoya's arm, "The mountain will never bow to it." She waved to Rachel and the others as they walked away.

"This could be a lot more fun than I originally thought…" said Kyoya.

Ami didn't say anything and he noticed she was looking ahead and her fists were clenched. Rachel had gotten to her.

The next day the first half of the games began. Ami and the rest of the club cheered on Mori as he took on all of the other schools in Judo. He was clearly the most talented and barely broke a sweat between each fight. Andie ran up to him after each win and gave him water and helped him wipe down. He smiled and thanked her each time which made her blush as she ran back to the concession stand to keep her sales up. Finally, Mori was declared the winner and all of Bizu cheered for him.

Next up, was Honey who'd be entering the martial arts tournament. He was laughed at by the other schools for his small size but as soon as he flipped his first component, all laughter ceased. Bizu went wild and they hadn't lost an ounce of confidence. In just a few short hours, Honey was declared the winner.

The campus was going crazy with celebrations and Kyoya was happy to see everyone in such good spirits. He didn't see Ami, however, and so went looking for her. He'd most likely find her in the gym. She'd want to train for her part in the triathlon coming up the day after tomorrow. He didn't see her on the track and field and so went to see if she were in the pool.

As Kyoya thought, there she was, swimming the olympian sized pool from end to end. He quietly entered, sat on the bleachers and watched as Ami pushed herself harder and harder. She stopped in the center of the pool and tried to catch her breath. She sounded like she was wheezing. She disappeared under the water for a few seconds, long enough to make Kyoya worry, but she emerged by the ladder and pulled herself out of the water and sat on the edge of the pool.

"You're pushing yourself too hard," Kyoya called to her. Ami looked over at him and thanked him as he brought her a towel. "I'm sure you'll do fine."

"I can't do _fine_ ," said Ami, "I have to do great. I won't let her beat me."

"So you had asthma when you were younger?" he asked. Ami looked away from him and watched the pool lights twinkle under the water. "That must have been hard."

"It was an imperfection that had to be covered up." she said, as she caught her breath. "What I lacked in physical exertion, I made up for in charm and guile." She took off her swim cap and started to dry her hair. "It went away by the time I was fourteen…but it's like I can still feel the damage it did to me. Like I can only breathe at half capacity when I know there's more room."

Kyoya helped Ami stand up and walked her toward the locker room entrance, "Even if you don't win, you shouldn't punish yourself for it. We all have our limits…even I do. Just don't tell anyone." He winked and saw Ami's shoulders relax. "Do more than your best, and we'll all know you tried."

The morning events were started off with the soccer team. As predicted, Tamaki was great at the game and scored every goal. In the afternoon, Kyoya joined the football team and garnered a round of applause as he scored for Bizu. Finally, in the evening came the triathlon. Since Haruhi didn't sign up for any sport, she was forced to do the sprint at the beginning of the race. Since everyone knew she was slow, they decided that having Haruhi go first was the only way they could catch up. Kieran took the second place as the obstacle course runner who would then hand the baton to Ami at the pool who would swim to the other end and raise her school flag. At least that was the plan.

Although Haruhi ran at her top speed, it wasn't exactly fast enough and the club was pushed back into fourth place. Kieran remained blank faced as he waited to get the baton from Haruhi, and when she finally arrived, huffing and puffing as she did, Kieran took off like a bolt of lightening.

"Whoa!" said Honey as they watched the live feed, "Ki-Chan's fast!"

Within seconds, Kieran had caught up with everyone and dashed over every obstacle in his way. He was unstoppable and determined to win this. Kieran was neck in neck with a racer from Salem, and both boys arrived to the pool at the same time. Ami and Rachel took their places, ready to dive into the pool. They received their batons at the same time and the girls were off.

The two girls were like sharks, gliding through the water, with looks that could kill! Finally they were at the halfway mark when something happened! Rachel's baton hit Ami in the face which forced Ami to stop swimming. Everyone gasped and boo'd.

"And the winner is…Salem Private School!"

Ami was helped out of the water by the lifeguards who checked her over to make sure she wasn't injured. She had a minor scratch on her nose but was overall perfectly fine. Many of her fans mourned her smooth skin as they knew the cut would give her a scar. After all, she was delicate like a flower, as she always said.

"No matter what happens," said her fan club, "We must not treat Ami any differently. If anything, this new scar will give her character!" Tamaki was with them and nodded in approval. If felt like they were back at Ouran and he basked in the love and adoration of the fans. Haruhi had to basically drag him away.

After Ami changed into her normal clothes she was greeted by a horde of students wishing her well. Kyoya broke through them and escorted her to the grand hall where they would announce the winner of the Sports festival.

Without a doubt, BIZU had won…again. Ami was chosen to be the spokesperson for the school so she went up to the podium and made a speech, "I'm beyond thrilled that Boston High School University could make another win and make us all proud," Ami started, "The only thing that saddens my heart is that Margo William's, our top athlete, was unable to participate this year. In honor of her missing her favorite event, I humbly ask for contributions to the Margo Williams injury fund, where the proceeds will go directly to her hospital finances."

Everyone aww'd at the gesture and soon checks were flying all around the room. Ami left the stage and looked over at Rachel and stuck her tongue out at her. Rachel was furious but her friends forced her to stay in her seat.

"Let me guess…" said Kyoya, as Ami sat down, "You're taking 10% of the proceeds?"

Ami shrugged, "Margo still has a home here in the E-Club, and she would be devastated to know that her injury was what caused it to shut down." She then smiled at Kyoya and said, "Besides, did you see how motivated everyone was? How sad they were when I _lost_ the race? Injured in the heat of battle! Why, it's a story for the ages! I wouldn't be surprised if we made the front page of the newspaper and the school website."

"Why my dear," said Kyoya, "You're a devil after my own heart."

Later that evening, Kyoya received a message from Ami to meet him at the clock tower where they spent New Years Eve. He waited patiently for her, staring out over the campus and enjoying the view. When he heard the door open up, he walked over to greet Ami who looked particularly cheerful this night.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Kyoya." she said. They both took a seat on the chairs they had left up there a few months ago and looked out into the distance.

"Of course, princess…" said Kyoya, "Anything for you."

She blushed and then looked him in the eyes, "You know, you keep on surprising me every time I see you." She said.

"Is that so?" asked Kyoya. He moved closer to her and kept their eye contact. He wanted to hold it as long as he could.

"You've been a pain in my neck since the day you arrived," she started, but she was smiling as she spoke which made Kyoya share the same contentment, "You're a conniving, scheming, snake in the grass, who only looks out for himself…" she paused, looked away, and then back to Kyoya, "And the people he cares about. You're secretly kind, you're a talented artist…you stood up to my mother and gave me the courage to do the same. You freed this princess of her shackles and you set her lose in a world she's never known…" Ami started laughing, "I'm so lost without the comforts of demands…and yet…I'm only found when I'm with you."

Ami leaned forward and kissed Kyoya with every ounce of passion that she had inside her. "I love you, Kyoya…"


	26. Chapter 20: Kyoya's Engagement!

**Maybe You're My Love**

Chapter Twenty: Kyoya's…Engagement?!

Summer was just around the corner…

Tamaki couldn't believe a year in America had gone by so quickly. They had done so much, met so many people, and created amazing friendships that he didn't want to see fade away. He was looking forward to going back to Japan, only because he'd get to see his mother whenever he wanted…but he was sad he had to leave so many people behind. Tamaki tried to talk to Kyoya about what he was feeling but Kyoya had reverted back to his cold, indifferent, ways. He didn't know what to make of it. Ami and Kyoya hadn't been spending much time together, but Tamaki just thought that was due to Ami preparing for the end of the year summer festival. She and the school president had teamed up to throw a great send-away for all the exchange students. But even still, when the two were together, they seemed friendly, so Tamaki didn't think they were fighting.

Honey noticed that things weren't quite the same with Mori either. He seemed more distant and distracted. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going and often wound up getting himself lost a few times because he was so lost deep in thought. Mori and Kyoya were still avoiding each other, and Tamaki had, had just about enough of it.

"Honey-Senpai we have to fix whatever is going on between these two!" said Tamaki, "This is unacceptable. The host club can't continue like this!"

Honey nodded in agreement, "In our family, whenever two people have a disagreement, we make them fight it out!" said Honey cheerfully, "So why don't we just have Takashi and Kyo-Chan locked in a dojo together and wait to see who wins?"

Tamaki looked at Honey as if he were crazy. Mori would easily destroy Kyoya and that would start a war between their families. "Or better yet! How about we just lock the two in a room and make them talk to each other?"

Honey shrugged, "If you say so. But Takashi would really prefer to fight it out."

After class, Kyoya was on his way back to his dorm room when Tamaki approached him and said he had a few Host Club ideas to go over. Having nothing better to do, Kyoya agreed as Tamaki led him to the music department of the school grounds.

"Why are we on the South side of campus, Tamaki?"

"It's got the best sound booths!" Said Tamaki, matter of factly, "We need as much privacy as we can get. These are very important, top secret, topics we have to discuss!"

"Whatever," Kyoya said as they walked inside.

The building was empty except for one class down the hall that was practicing orchestral arrangements. Tamaki walked Kyoya into a recording booth and then locked the door behind him.

"Tamaki, what on earth are you doing?" asked Kyoya. A shadow loomed over him and he turned to see Mori standing behind him. Honey and Tamaki waved at the two from behind the booth.

"We're tired of the two of you ignoring each other," Honey said through the microphone. "You're gonna stay in here and work out your differences until you can come to an agreement!"

"You can't keep us in here like this. What if people need to use this booth?" asked Kyoya.

"We rented it out for two days…" said Tamaki slyly.

"And there are plenty of snacks in there for you to eat in case you get hungry, k?" said Honey.

Kyoya started ranting at the two but Tamaki switched off the microphone and sat in the chair and waited. Once Kyoya figured out they couldn't hear him, he gave up and then pushed up his glasses.

"So…" said Mori, "We might as well get this over with."

Kyoya finally looked at him, "There's nothing to get over, because we have no business to take care of."

"Ami-San confessed to you." Damn. How did he find out? They had been so casual about it. "I can tell, because she doesn't smile like she used to."

Kyoya thought of Ami's usual cheerful self and then thought of what she looked like the day before, when he saw her. She was smiling and greeting everyone like normal, but there was something missing. Something broken.

"You're right," said Kyoya, "She did. And we discussed it like adults."

"You broke her heart," said Mori, and his hands closed into fists. Kyoya knew he wouldn't hurt him, but still took a seat across the room from him.

"It's for the best," Kyoya recited this like he had rehearsed it over and over, "Amelie has a great opportunity to inherit her fathers company. I would only be competition to her. Besides, I have more pressing matters to focus on in Japan."

"That's a lie," Mori said, he was visibly upset now, but remained in his place with his arms crossed. "You fought all year to get her to fall in love with you…and then you just turn her down?" His voice was rising, "Why?!" Kyoya was astonished that Mori could snap at someone. He had always been the benevolent one, the one everyone turned to for advice without fear of judgement. "Was this a game to you?" Mori went on, "Were you just playing with her heart? What did you have to gain from hurting someone so kind?"

"I don't have to answer to you," Kyoya said coolly.

Suddenly Kyoya was pinned against the wall. Tamaki tried to open the door to the booth but Honey got in his way and shook his head. "Watch." he said.

"Hit me if you think it'll make you feel better." Kyoya said. His glasses had fallen off and Mori could now see the hurt in his eyes. He wanted this. He was punishing himself.

"I think...you think it'll make _you_ feel better." Mori said as he dropped Kyoya.

"Are you more upset because she chose me?" Kyoya asked, he gave a devilish smirk and stood up, straightening his clothes.

"Don't bait him, Kyoya…" whispered Tamaki as he and Honey watched on the edge of their seats.

"Or perhaps you're more upset that she chose me, got her heart broken, and didn't come running into your arms for comfort…is that it? No matter how patient you were, Mori-Senpai…you still weren't enough for her." Kyoya pushed the chair aside and walked up to Mori, his smirk still dancing on his lips. "You see, unlike you, I can read a person as soon as I see them. I knew what kind of man, Amelie wanted and I became him for her. I mostly did it because I saw how you felt about her. I wanted to take that from you. I may not be a judo champion, but when it comes to mind games, there's no one better than me."

Kyoya's heart stopped when he saw the fist coming at him. He stayed in his place ready to take it, but it never hit him. Instead, Mori hit the wall right behind Kyoya, putting a hole right through the sound proof foam and straight to the concrete beneath.

"I'm not falling for your trap," Mori told him, "You want to get hurt. You want to feel what she's feeling. I'm not the one who will do that. You should rot in your guilt."

Silence.

Mori remained with his back to Kyoya, who was staring ahead at the wall, lost in his contemplation. Tamaki worriedly looked at Honey who was staring deadly serious at the two.

"Not yet…" Honey said.

"My father has arranged a marriage for me," Kyoya said after minutes of silence. Tamaki and Honey gasped, Mori finally turned around. "It was a few days before the sports festival. Said he found a good match for me. A girl who was fond of my endeavors with the host club. Her family is very wealthy and produces top of the line physicians who work in world class hospitals…he was so proud of me. Said that I'd be the first of my brothers to get married. To…become the patriarch." Kyoya pushed his glasses up and sighed, "How could I say no? What could I tell him?"

"You should have told him, _no_!" came Tamaki's voice from behind the glass. Kyoya was taken aback by how abruptly Tamaki yelled at him. "You're selfish, Kyoya! Selfish! You are your own man, you can make your own decisions. You're throwing away your happiness to get something you had given up a long time ago…"

 _If you show your father you don't care anymore…then he'll see who you really are…_ Ami's voice echoed in Kyoya's mind and he finally understood why this was happening.

"You idiot!" said Tamaki, "Is losing true love worth the short praise of your father?" Tamaki had gone red in the face and he slammed his hands down on the sound board. "The least you could have done was tell her the truth."

"It's too late," Kyoya said, "She and my father are flying from Japan tomorrow to meet and sign the marriage contract. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't back out of it. I'd be disowned. My father couldn't risk the embarrassment of his third son turning down a wealthy heiress."

Honey opened the door, "Leave." was all he said.

Ami sat in her room watching a television show she knew nothing about. She hadn't the energy to go to the E-Club and she had finished all of her work so now…she was bored. There was a knock on her door that took her out of her thoughts and she got up to answer it. It was Kyoya. Before she could say anything, Kyoya grabbed her and kissed her hard.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered in her ear before he turned and left.

Ami's breath was taken away as she listened to the recording of Mori and Kyoya's confrontation. Tamaki sat next to her, not sure what to say. He saw the tears in her eyes and looked over to Haruhi who got her a box of tissues. Ami pushed the box away and stood up, she wiped away her tears.

"That idiot…" she sighed under her breath.

"I'm sorry, Ami-Senpai…but I don't think there's anything the host club can do…" said Tamaki, he was defeated and let his head fall into his hands. He had worked so hard to get them together, only for fate to tear them apart. "Kyoya's father is incredibly strict. If Kyoya is disowned..."

"And you call yourself a prince?" she asked. Tamaki raised his head to see Ami stretching her hand out to him to help him to his feet. "I thought a host doesn't give up, not even if they've exhausted all of their options?"

"But what can we do, Senpai?" asked Haruhi.

"It's a simple equation really…" said Ami, and she smiled. "We just have to do the math!"

Mori was in the gym taking out his frustrations on a dummy when Ami arrived. He looked down at her as she smiled up at him. It was her real smile. What did Kyoya do? He wondered.

"Mori," Ami started, "I love you," he lost his breath, "But not in the way you want. You're such a great guy and you're one of my best friends, and I will cherish our relationship forever. After a lot of thinking, I think you may have overlooked some details of your feelings for me. Honey and I think you're projecting onto the wrong girl." Ami grinned and Mori raised an eyebrow in confusion, "I need your help before I can reveal to you, who you're really in love with."

Kyoya sighed as the driver took the slowest route to get to the hotel his father had arrived at. He knew the negotiations were going on without him, and him being there was just a formality. He had read the profile of the girl he was to be engaged to nearly a dozen times. She was pretty…not beautiful, but average. Her name was Kaneko Funaki, a third year like Kyoya, and apparently she went to Ouran. He hadn't noticed her before. Never saw her at the Host Club. She was adequate at nearly every subject she studied, she was shy—that'd be boring—and her aspirations were—surprise! She wanted to be a surgeon, like every other member in her family.

The car veered off to a different road and started taking a new path, "Driver, you're headed the wrong way." said Kyoya.

"No sir, just got updated instructions from your father. They're moving to a new location, seems there's a problem with booking." said the driver.

Kyoya laid back in his seat and shrugged. Whatever took him the longest to get there was fine with him.

Tara got off the phone with her father and gave a thumbs up to Tamaki who bounced up and down in the limo with excitement. They were lucky Tara's father was a real estate agent. He called in a few favors in the Boston Area and managed to have some investigations opened up about the foundation of the hotel Kyoya's father was staying in.

Ami got on the phone with her father, "Hello Daddy? How quickly can you get out to Boston?"

A sudden road block caused Kyoya to spend two hours in traffic. He was practically hitting his head on the window out of frustration. He contacted his father to let him know what was happening, but apparently they were stuck in the same traffic as well.

A head in the street was a construction crew fixing what appeared to be a very large pothole. They were directing people down an alternative route. The names on the back of their uniforms read, Williams Co.

Margo who stood on the side of the street sent a text to Ami, telling her that she had more time and her dads construction company was taking care of the path.

Kyoya finally arrived to the hotel and let the staff take his bags. He read the name just as he crossed under the archway and felt a hole develop in his gut. Of course it was a _Noble_ Hotel. The irony slapped him in the face as he walked in and found his father and Kaneko in the lounge. He bowed to her and then greeted his father.

"Sorry for all the delays," Mr. Ootori said to Kaneko in Japanese, "Something strange is going on in this city."

"Oh it's quite alright," said Kaneko, "I've never been to America so it's wonderful to see as much of it as I can."

"Perhaps Kyoya can give you a tour of what he's seen while you're here for one more day." Mr. Ootori said this as if it were a demand, not a request for Kyoya to do so.

"I would be happy to." Kyoya said with his empty smile.

A commotion stirred outside of the lounge and people rushed forward with cameras and loud voices. "What is going on?" asked Mr. Ootori. He walked over to the service desk but the staff member was gone. Moments later, cheering erupted from the lobby.

"Please, please, everyone, go about your business, you're embarrassing me!"

Kyoya knew that voice.

Mr. Noble walked through the crowd and shook hands with as many people as he could while he made his way to the lounge. Security pushed back the crowd as he entered the lounge, two of the members were a tall spiky haired young man and a very, very, short but strong blond young man. It was hard to make out just who exactly they were but they blocked all the fans from entering the lounge.

Mr. Ootori stood immediately and bowed to Mr. Noble.

"Kyoya!" said Mr. Noble, he walked up to Kyoya and shook his hand. "So good to see you again, my boy. What brings you to my humble establishment?"

Kyoya moved to the side and introduced his father, "Mr. Noble, please meet my father, Yoshio Ootori, partiarch of the Ootori family and President of Ootori medical." Yoshio bowed and Mr. Noble reached out to shake his hand. "Father, meet Mr. Terrance Noble, owner, president and CEO of Noble Entertainment, Resorts, Health Spas, Inns and Hotels."

"Such a grand title," said Yoshio.

Terrance grinned, "That's the short version of it!" He laughed loudly which forced Yoshio to chuckle. Kyoya had never seen his father act like this before. What was happening?

"My son has told me all about your family. You're quite innovative, well versed in business, and it sounds like you have a wonderful daughter." Yoshio said.

"If we're trading compliments then let me say, I have never met anyone—aside from myself—who has impressed me more than Kyoya has."

"Sir, you are too kind." Said Kyoya

Terrance took a seat as did Yoshio and Kyoya sat next to Kaneko. "Your son is humble," Terrance went on, "A while ago, I told Kyoya that if he impressed me, I'd save a spot for him at my company, as a shadow, so to speak." Yoshio looked at his son with interest. Kyoya hadn't told him that. "Most young men would go out of their way to show me their portfolios and go about trying to suck up to me get ahead…but not Kyoya. He's sneakier than that!" Terrance laughed again and then winked at Kyoya, "Instead of trying to impress me…he made an impact on my daughter...And that isn't easy to do."

Yoshio said nothing as he waited for Terrance to go on. Kyoya looked down at his feet to hide his smile. Now he knew what was happening.

"As a man who built his business from the ground up, starting with nothing, I've seen nearly every type of man you could imagine. Good men, bad men, strong men, weak men…even those in between. Never did I think I'd find a true, honest man…until I heard about Kyoya," He thought for a moment before he went on, "My daughter means the world to me, and it hurts me to see her unhappy. The day she met Kyoya, I could tell something in her had changed. She had suddenly become outspoken, brash, disobedient and rebellious…I loved it! The real her. And it came to my attention that I had only one man to thank. Her hero, her knight in shining armor…he saved her life—twice. I am in a huge debt to your son, Mr. Ootori. And it's for that very reason, that I'm in this room now."

The doors to the room opened and in walked Ami in a beautiful lavender dress. She bowed to Yoshio who stood and bowed back to her. Terrance stood and introduced his daughter. "Mr. Ootori, I'd like for you to meet my pride and joy. The one person in this world I would happily give up everything I own for. My daughter, Amelie Elizabeth Marie Noble."

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Ootori." She said.

"Amelie has brought to my attention a certain situation that has arisen that may cause some…dysfunction. So she's here to propose…a new route." Terrance said. He took his seat again and Ami then handed out folders to everyone in the room.

"Mr. Ootori, it was recently brought to _my_ attention, that you've decided to enter Kyoya into an arranged marriage. And although I'm sure you've spent countless hours finding the perfect prospect for him, let me offer you one more to consider. Please turn to page, 3…" Everyone flipped through the folder and stopped on a head shot, resume, and cover letter from Ami.

"Ami—Ms. Noble…" said Kyoya. He stood up.

"Mr. Ootori, I'm not done with my presentation, please hold all questions and comments until the end." She smiled at Kyoya and he sat back down, wondering why she would go through all these lengths for him. Was he truly worth it? She went on, "As you can see, I believe I should also be considered as a prospective fiancé for Kyoya. I'm at the top of my class, I've been offered a place in nearly all the top Ivy League schools in the united states, and I'll be the sole inheritor of all of my fathers estates, fortunes, prospects and business ventures, including all the international associates and contracts we currently hold and will continue to grow. The Noble name itself is worth several billion dollars and will only triple in value once I take my father's place.

Miss Funaki has a great future ahead of her, but I believe the stress of living up to her family name will distract her from her studies and prohibit her from becoming the best surgeon she can be. Now that isn't to discredit, Miss Funaki. With her families name she could be employed at any hospital in the world…" here Ami paused and took a deep breath. "But I believe I know what the Ootori family needs the best," she looked at Kyoya and he met her gaze, "Your family is looking for someone who can take them places and show off the best qualities of the Ootori name. Someone who can defend the name when it calls for it. Someone who will stand tall and proud and not second guess if she made the right choice. You want someone who's aggressive and will _never_ take no for an answer. Who will go after what she wants. Who will stand by your side through the wildest of storms. And promises to try to cook but most likely won't succeed at it because she's too busy focusing on work…a woman who will support you through every good and slightly unconventional idea. A woman who cries a little too easily but isn't afraid to admit she does, because showing you care…showing you're passionate…isn't a weakness…" She laughed and then took a deep breath, "A woman who can make wild, impulsive, business decisions but can be confident that it'll all work out in the end…"

Terrance looked between Amelie and Kyoya. Neither had broken eye contact with the other. He stood back up and took his place beside his daughter. "I've already given Amelie my approval—as painful as it is for a father to let his daughter go and grow up…but I believe if we speak more in private, and not rush _too hastily_ into a conclusion, we can work something out between us."

Yoshio thought for a moment and then looked at Kyoya who was still staring at Amelie. "Let us talk more in private then. Kyoya, Miss Funaki…Miss Noble…if you please."

Amelie bowed and left the room. Kyoya walked out immediately after her and then turned back around to Kaneko. "Miss Funaki, I—"

She held up a hand, a serious look upon her face,"Please Kyoya…" then she smiled, "Your true love is waiting! All the girls are going to go wild when I tell them how she did this grand gesture to win you over!" She started swooning and Kyoya laughed. A true Ouran girl, through to the end. He'd have to remember to thank her later.

Kyoya walked up to the second floor and found Amelie sitting next to the indoor koi pond. The doors slid shut behind him and she kept looking into the pond. "Before you say anything. Yes, I'm sure about doing this. No, Tamaki didn't talk me into this, and if you try and tell me not to go through with this—"

She just didn't know when to shut up.

Kyoya held Ami in his arms and kissed her hard and deep. She wrapped her arms around him and lost herself in his kiss.

"Are you really going to stay in America, Kyoya Senpai?" asked Haruhi as they all sat under the freshly bloomed cherry blossom trees on the hills overlooking the Bizu spring fair.

"Yes. I've already applied to several of the same schools that Amelie has applied to and have no doubt at all that I will be accepted." He said. His head was in Ami's lap and she shared a bowl of little snacks that Andie had pieced together.

"It's just so amazing you two are engaged!" said Honey, "That's great!"

"It _was_ the most practical business arrangement…" said Ami as she ran her fingers through Kyoya's hair.

"Have you figured out what you'll be studying, Ami-Senpai?" asked Haruhi.

"Music therapy," said Ami, "So I'll be in two departments. Psychology and music."

"Wow," said Tara, she was laying on Kaoru's chest and looking up at the clouds, "You can handle two majors?"

"Of course I can!" said Ami, she winked, "I am _me_ after all."

"When will the wedding be?" asked Tamaki, he had his calendar out ready to start planning as soon as possible.

"It won't be for a few more years," said Kyoya, "We're staying focused on our school work before we go into any of those details."

Ami rolled her eyes, "What he means is that my father made him promise there won't be a wedding until we both finished school and Kyoya can finish shadowing him at the company."

"Four years from next Spring then!" said Tamaki. He was already dreaming of the day and what Ami and Kyoya would wear.

"I'll bake the cake!" said Andie, she sat next to Mori who had his arm around her, "It'll be six layers! With an adorable little Kyoya and Ami on the top!"

"I'll help frost it!" said Honey.

The rest of the host club started to go on and on about Ami and Kyoya's wedding, who would do what and where it would be. Kyoya drowned out the sounds of their chatter and instead focused on how warm Ami's lap was and how nice it felt to have her fingers in his hair. He could get use to this.

"A practical business arrangement, hmm?" he said quietly.

"Now that's an interesting notion…" said Ami.


	27. Omake: Perfectly Evil

**Omake #5**

Perfectly Evil...

It was nice spring Sunday, so the Tamaki, Haruhi, and Kyoya decided to sit on one of Ami, Tara, and Andie's meetings for the E-Club. They'd be in the rose garden and having tea while deciding what their next events for the school year would be.

"Confetti cannons!"

Ami twirled around in a rainbow colored sequin dress as held out her newest folder of ideas to Tara, "We'll have glitter! And beautifully colored lights to make the confetti look more hypnotizing! Color! Color! Color!"

"We're not doing that…" Tara sighed.

"WHYYY?!" Ami whined. She sat in front of Tara and flipped through her proposal, "I outlined everything!"

Tara rubbed her temple and looked at Ami with exhaustion, "Who's going to clean up the confetti and glitter?"

"We'll hire people to do that…"

"Ami…every month you come up with some over the top, grand, plan and we continuously barely stay under budget. I'm sorry, but we'll have to do something simpler. Especially if you want the end of the year beach trip—"

Ami pouted next to a rose bush and it was like a cloud of darkness had enveloped her. Tara rolled her eyes and gave in, "I'll see what I can do _if_ you can find the funds to get it done…"

"YAY!" suddenly the sun had reappeared and Ami hugged Tara tight. She then looked over at Andie who was ready for her next crazy request. "Andie—"

"No."

Ami felt like an arrow shot right through her. "I didn't even—"

"No."

"But—"

"No."

"Can we just—"

"No."

"TARA!" Ami pointed accusingly at Andie, "She's being mean again!"

"Ami, you can't always get what you want."

"My father says otherwise."

"What were you going to ask for?"

"Cakes that have glitter inside of them!"

"Why are you so obsessed with glitter now?"

An argument broke out between the girls and Kyoya and Haruhi looked at each other. "This seems…familiar…" Haruhi said. She tilted her head and watched as Ami begged her friends to go along with her plan. "Hmm…" Haruhi had the word on the tip of her tongue, "She's…"

"How are we going to afford that?" Tara asked.

"We'll just raise the price of the cakes." Ami said, then shrugged.

"She reminds me of Tamaki-Senpai…" Haruhi said quietly.

"You're just _now_ realizing that?" Kyoya asked.

Tamaki scooted closer to them in a pose that reeked of pride, "Why I'm more than humbled to be compared to such a wonderful gem as Ami-Senpai. She's beautiful, talented, graceful, just like moi!"

"Not as conceited as you though…" Haruhi said sharply. Tamaki fell over in pain from the insult.

"Ami no one is going to keep buying the snacks if you raise the prices." said Tara, Andie nodded in agreement.

"Of course they will!" said Ami, she winked and then an evil glint sparkled in her eye, "They're only buying the treats because they're one of a kind and also being sold by such a cute girl. I don't think they even know how much they're paying now! We could set the price at $50 a pop and they'd still throw their cards at Andie just to get a smile and a warm _thank you_ from her. I've consistently raised the prices every semester since we opened. Why do you think there aren't any price tags at the snack bar?"

Andie and Tara's mouths fell agape. Kyoya looked over at Ami and smiled. Haruhi finally remembered the word, "Agathokakological!" She clapped her hands together, "I learned that in our literature class. It means both good and evil."

Ami heard the term and smiled and swiftly slid over to Haruhi while pushing Tamaki out of the way, "Are you calling me a double edged sword, Haruhi?" She asked sweetly while playing with her short hair.

Haruhi nodded, "See I finally understand you now, Senpai. You're like candy coated poison. Sweet on the outside, deadly on the inside. Like if Kyoya-Senpai and Tamaki-Senpai were fused together, they'd be a threat to society. Kyoya's super dark and evil—"

"I resent that," Kyoya said.

Haruhi went on, "While Tamaki is just…a superficial, conceited, but overly kind person."

"Superficial?" Tamaki was on the brink of tears. "Haruhi that's so mean…"

"But you!" Haruhi looked Ami in the eyes, "You're a mix. You like to do good things for people, but don't mind exploiting their talents and skills to get what you want. It's no wonder you get along with Tamaki and Kyoya so well."

"That's…kinda harsh…" Tara said.

"Yeah…" said Andie. "She's not evil...just super manipulative." She winked at Ami.

Ami chuckled and then burst out into a laugh. She placed her arm around Haruhi and grinned, "Haruhi…you're a lot more observant than people give you credit for, you know that?"

"It's easy to see what other people are like, Senpai. I don't think you're pure evil like Kyoya—"

"I still resent that…" he said again, while adjusting his glasses.

"But you're no saint, either."

"It's the bad girls that get a head in life," Ami winked again and stood up, placing her hands on her hips, "Let's finish this meeting up and then go for a swim in the pool. It's a nice day. Let's not waste it!"

Tamaki joined Ami in the planning, leaving Kyoya and Haruhi to talk amongst themselves, "So…" Kyoya started, "am I really that _evil_?" he was smiling and staring at Ami.

Haruhi nodded, "That's what makes you and Ami-Senpai perfect for each other." Kyoya raised an eyebrow and looked down at Haruhi who looked pleased with herself, "If she were as evil as you, this world would end. But I think she's just good enough to balance you out. You could do great things together."

Kyoya smiled and sat back in his chair and sipped on his tea, "Great things, huh?"


	28. Omake: Why did you Join the E-Club?

**Omake #6**

Why did you join the Entertainment Club?

 _Margo…_

"You want me to what?"

"I want you to join my Club!"

"It sounds like prostitution."

"It's definitely not that! More like an escort service but you stay in the club room!"

Amelie tried to keep up with Margo as they ran around the university's track. Margo had actually slowed down quite a bit for her, but Ami was still having trouble breathing. Finally, Margo slowed down to a light jog, and Ami came running back up to her side.

"It'll be a great opportunity for you to make friends. I've noticed you mostly stick with the athletes, but believe me when I say there's a whole world of people out there who would love to get to know you!"

Margo eyed the short, little, rich girl who jogged beside her. She knew about Amelie. Everyone did. She was the girl with the fire in her eyes. Margo would be lying if she said she didn't have a crush on Ami, but then again, who in the school didn't? Before today they had never said more than a few words to each other when the presidents of the clubs had to meet. Now, here they were having an entire conversation about…a new club?

"So we just sit around most of the day and drink tea?" asked Margo, it sounded incredibly boring.

"No…you sit around all day and flirt with people _while_ drinking tea! It's a way to bring a smile to their faces."

"No thank you…" said Margo and she picked up her run.

"There'll be girls there!"

Margo paused and then backed up and looked down at the huffing and puffing Miss Noble.

"There are dozens of girls who have a crush on you, and wouldn't it just make you feel good to sort of speed date all of them? You'd have a really high request rate _and_ the extra income from opening this club could help you get some new sports gear."

"You really want someone like me in your club?" asked Margo. She was the tall, blue haired, lesbian that people only talked to because she won nearly every sports game for the school. Other than that, no one wanted to get to know her.

"I'd love to have someone like you in the club, Miss Williams. I myself don't have many close friends. Like you I just have a bunch of admirers. But for us to get together and form an in school family well…I think that'd be just great! Don't you?" Ami gave Margo a big smile and held her hand out to her…

 _Nate…_

Nathaniel was lost in his piano music. He didn't hear the door open. But when the second piano started playing along he looked up and saw Amelie Noble across from him joining him in the duet he playing alone.

"You play wonderfully, Nate…" said Amelie, "I hope you don't mind me calling you, Nate. You don't look like a Nathaniel."

"Were you scheduled to play in here, Miss Noble?" he asked her as they continued the song.

"No, I was looking for you."

He was surprised by this. He hadn't really spent any time with Amelie except when the orchestra got together to play during school festivals and concerts and any of the times they needed all the musicians together. Amelie usually played the violin.

"I know…" she said, then giggled, "I'm no good at the piano. I know the keys and the notes…but my heart just isn't in it." She then looked up at Nate, "Just like yours isn't anymore."

He stopped playing.

"You know I do believe yellow is your color, Nate. You looked wonderful in that dress."

"You…you saw me?" he asked. He remembered when he wore the dress on the school stage. He thought everyone had left. The drama club had gone for the night and he just wanted to touch it…

"I left something in the theater, but I saw you dancing on stage. You looked so happy. Is that when you knew?"

"Knew what?"

"Is that when you knew who you really were?"

He drew in his breath and held it. What was she after? What did she want? Was she blackmailing him?

"I'm opening a club that has absolutely no judgement. A place where everyone can be their true selves. Stop by some time…see what you think. I'd love to hear the passion in your music again."

Amelie stood up and walked toward the door. She then looked over her shoulder one last time at Nathaniel and smiled, "You looked just like a princess you know…but you also look great a prince. I don't think there's anything wrong with being both…"

 _Kieran…_

Kieran caught the rubber ball as it rebounded back to him off of the black board. Outside he could see everyone hanging out in their groups and the clubs getting together to go about their business. Once again, Kieran was trapped in detention.

"How did I know where to find you, Mister Kelly?"

He looked up to see that popular girl whose face was everywhere. She took off her bag and pulled a desk up to his.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Do you wanna join my club?" she asked him.

"Sure…"

Her mouth hung agape as she had assumed he'd say no and had prepared an argument. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to go on.

"I…did not expect that." She laughed and then gave him a big smile. "Do you wanna know what we do?"

"Sure…"

"Well, it's a club where we entertain students who have too much time on their hands. Where we can bring a smile to their faces, and maybe help out a person or two."

"Sounds good…" Kieran said. "I'm in."

"You just don't want to keep ending up in detention do you?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, the club could certainly help with that. It'll clear out your record for sure."

"Nate'll be there?" he asked, his Irish accent was more pronounced the more he spoke.

Amelie nodded, "Nate has decided they want to try it out."

Kieran thought about it for a moment.

"Sure."

"Great!" said Ami, "I'll need you to watch movies like Grease and Crybaby, so you can get into the role."

"What role?" asked Kieran.

"The bad boy of course! We all have to go through some training before we start up." She smiled and then waved at Kieran and left the room…

 _Max and Ellie…_

"We want to join your club."

Amelie looked up from her lunch as the twins sat down in front of her.

"Um…what?" she asked.

"We want to join your club." They said again.

"Do you know what kind of club it is?" she asked.

"It's a host club," said Ellie. "We've read up about it on your blog."

Amelie's eyes sparkled. She was so happy to hear that someone read her blog. "That's so great! You know I was looking for twins anyway. There's a huge supply of them at the school. What makes you special?"

"We can play up the whole Lannister thing for you. People would love it."

"Why do you want to be in my club?"

Max looked across the lunch room over at Kieran who was having lunch with Nate. "We have our reasons."

Ellie chimed in with, "Plus everyone here is super boring. We like you. We've seen you around. We'd be happy to work with you."

Amelie was definitely a little suspicious of the two, but she was also short on twins and needed them to complete her host set. "Ok fine. I'll give you two a try!"

The First Entertainment Club meeting…

"Is this gonna work?"

"Of course it'll work, Tara."

"It looks a little…odd." Tara looked form the pictures of the Japanese Host Club, to the live image of their hosts sitting together talking and drinking tea. "I mean…everyone's attractive in their own way…"

"You're looking at the outer shell, Tara," Amelie said, leaning on the balcony overlooking her club, "Our club is what's forming on the inside. Look, Kieran's actually having a conversation and he doesn't want to punch someone in the face. Margo is actually smiling, Nate looks happier already, and those twins…I think they'll find out something about themselves. They were pretty independent don't you remember? Now they're spending time together."

Tara studied Ami as she looked down on her Host Club with pride. "Ok boss, whatever you say, I'm with you 'til the end."

Ami hugged Tara and then pulled her down the stairs to join up with the club. First thing was first…they needed to work on their personas!

And thus…The Entertainment Club was born.


	29. Omake: Mori Senpai's Confession of Love

**Omake #7**

Mori-Senpai's Confession of Love!

Days after Kyoya and Ami were officially engaged, everything seemed to have finally fallen into place. School was coming to an end, graduation was just around the corner, and this would be the Host Clubs final days in America. Mori sat on the hill with the cherry blossom trees and thought about what Ami said to him…

 _"I love you…but not in the way you want…After a lot of thinking, I think you may have overlooked some details of your feelings for me…"_

So it was Andie all along…she had been by his side since the first day they met. He felt at peace when she was around, but it was rare to have Andie without Ami—so she was right. Mori had overlooked her and that was an insult he couldn't let go. He couldn't believe he had been so blind. And so…he needed a plan to fix this. Mori took out his phone and texted Ami. He'd need to pull out the big guns.

"Ami shouldn't you be spending time with your fiance?"

"Just because we're pre-engaged to be engaged, doesn't give Kyoya any special priority over my friends!"

Ami and Andie were in a car being driven to downtown, Boston. The nightscape was beautiful and there were musicians out playing on the street corners. Ami couldn't help but smile as she thought of Mori's plan. It took all of her mental fortitude not to scream and jump and tell Andie what was going to happen. She had to hold strong. She also put her phone on silent so she didn't look at it. It had been buzzing like crazy because Kyoya had run into a problem on his computer and all his files had been scrambled. Ami may have done it just to distract him for the night and also partial revenge for not telling her about his previous arranged marriage before she stepped in. Either way, he'd figure it out and stay put. Tamaki and the others were distracted as well thanks to a _sick_ Honey who demanded their attention. It'd be only Mori, Ami, Tara, and Kaoru.

The car pulled over in front of a ice cream parlor and before Ami could turn around, Andie was already out of the car and in line inside. Ami laughed and then joined her and the two ordered a double cone and took a walk around the block.

"So what's it like…being kinda, sorta, engaged?" asked Andie.

Ami smiled softly, "It's weird. It'll be a long time before it happens, so I'm thinking of it as a long term dating. With marriage in the contract at the bottom."

Andie snorted and then covered up her laugh, "You and Kyoya are so alike, it's unnatural."

"Well…if it's meant to be...it's meant to be. Speaking of... are you thinking about a certain someone who's over six foot, has spiky black hair, and is very sweet and silent?"

An instant blush appeared on Andie's cheeks and she shook her head, "I don't know…I mean…what?" She started giggling and Ami just couldn't wait for the surprise.

Speaking of! Here was part one.

"Is that… a violin?" Andie asked as they came across a random violin on a stand. There was a note attached to it that said _Play Me_.

"Well who could resist that?" Ami finished her ice cream and then dusted off her hands. She smiled over at Andie, "I might be a little rusty…"

She wasn't a little rusty. In fact, Ami had studied all of Andie's favorite musical scores from her favorite Disney movies and created an original piece that combined The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Frog, and Beauty and the Beast's main scores. Andie stood there in awe as Ami closed her eyes and channeled the music. Suddenly, spotlights filled the area and Andie looked around to see a horse drawn carriage coming down the street. She gasped!

Kaoru, dressed in a very regal suit, stepped down from the carriage and bowed to Andie, "Princess," he said, "Your carriage awaits." He helped Andie inside and shut the door gently. Ami stepped up onto the carriage—still playing the song— and sat next to Kaoru who drove it down the road.

They arrived to one of the Noble properties. A castle inspired hotel. Kaoru helped Andie down from the carriage and then helped Ami down who played Andie into the building. Once the doors were closed, Andie was greeted by Tara who was dressed in a ball gown and bowed to Andie. She had a tiara in her hand and placed it on Andie's head, then took her by the hand through the lobby out to the back gardens of the hotel. There were fireflies swimming around and they lit up the roses and the pond.

The ballroom song _Beauty and the Beast_ began to play and as it did the garden lights came up to reveal Mori in a suit, with a red rose in his hand. He stepped forward and bowed to Andie and offered her his hand. She took it, still in shock at this surprise, and danced with him in the garden.

Tara had to hush Ami and Kaoru who were squealing at how adorable all of this was.

The song came to an end and Mori fell down to his knees. "Andie," he started, Kaoru and Ami were holding each other, on the verge of tears. He was going to say it. "I love you."

Tara duct taped Ami and Kaoru's mouths because they were about to scream. Then she dragged them away.

Andie lost her breath…

"It was the most romantic thing I ever saw!" Ami said, recounting the tale to the rest of the Host Club. Andie's cheeks were red as Ami went on and on, and on…Mori simply draped his arm over her and smiled through the story. "And it was all his idea!"

"You didn't tell me that…" Andie said as she looked up at Mori.

He smiled and shrugged.

"I thought you said, your journey to find me was the most romantic thing you've ever seen?" Kyoya asked as he typed into his laptop.

"No, I said that's the most romantic thing _I've_ ever done." Ami corrected him, "But this…ahh! I recorded the whole thing, let's watch!"

"ROMANCE!" cheered Tamaki who held onto Haruhi as they all watched the video. Andie yelled at Ami for recording the entire moment which was supposed to be private and Ami whined that she just wanted to remember it forever.

Tara laid her head on Kaoru's shoulder and Hikaru placed his head in Tara's lap. "Should we tell them?" Tara asked.

"Nah…" said the twins, Kaoru grinned and kissed her on the cheek, "We don't want to steal their spotlight."


	30. Omake: Aren't you Jealous?

**Omake #8**

 **Aren't you jealous?**

The Entertainment Club was having one of it's last events of the year and so had decided to host a beach party. Everyone was having a blast in the water, and Margo and Kieran had brought a barbecue so they could have something more filling than Andie's table of finger foods. The hosts were doing their jobs and keeping everyone happy and as usual, Kyoya was off under an umbrella jotting down notes in his notebook. Ellie and Max saw this and decided to slither on over to him.

"Hey Kyoya…" they said in unison.

"Hello Max, Ellie." Kyoya greeted them, he shut his notebook and looked up at them.

"Why are you just sitting over here by yourself?" they asked, "Shouldn't you be enjoying yourself like everyone else?"

Kyoya smiled at them, "I am enjoying myself. Can't you tell?"

The twins frowned and then noticed Ami was splashing in the water with a horde of fans chasing after her. Tamaki joined in and handed Ami a water gun and they turned the tide, so to speak. Ami called over to Mori who was building a sand castle with Honey and Nate, Mori smiled and then joined them in the water. He put Ami on his shoulders and charged after the fans.

"Look at that!" Ellie said, "Your fiancé is having the time of her life."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow, wondering what the twins were getting at. Haruhi joined Kyoya in the shade and she had a huge hamburger in her hands ready to eat. Andie brought them drinks and Kyoya thanked her politely.

"Yes, Amelie does enjoy the summer weather," Kyoya said, not bothering to even look up from his notebook.

Andie nodded in agreement, "It's her favorite time of the year. I swear she's like a bear or something. She hibernates through half the year and then as soon as Spring hits, she's all over the place! If you think she was eccentric before...oh man...you're in for a wild ride, Kyoya."

"Are neither of you going to have fun with your significant others?" Max asked, astonished by their laziness, "Look at them! Having fun without you!"

Tamaki had accidentally bumped into Mori who let go of Ami, who fell into the water. She resurfaced and laughed and then tackled Tamaki out of revenge.

"Aren't you jealous?" the twins asked.

Kyoya studied Tamaki, Ami, and Mori and watched as they happily played like children who hadn't seen the sun in months. He smiled. "What's there to be jealous of?"

"Look at Tamaki! He's all over Ami!" Ellie snapped. Max pointed off to them, "And Mori keeps picking her up and holding her in his arms! You should go over and do something!"

Andie watched them all having fun and thought about what Kyoya said. She didn't feel that ping of jealousy in her gut. Not like she used to when Ami and Mori were together. In fact she was happy that Mori was having fun. Honey joined in on their water fight and dragged Nate along with him. It quickly turned into a splash war. Tara appeared and started snapping photos for the website.

"Andie! Come on! The water's great!" Ami called to her after she splashed Tamaki with a huge wave.

"Nothing to worry about," Andie said to the twins as she stood up and ran to the water.

Haruhi nodded in agreement and between burger bites she said, "Tamaki is at his happiest when he has a lot of attention. I don't see anything wrong with that." She swallowed and shrugged, "Besides, at the end of the day, they're always thinking of us."

"Kyoya…"

He looked up to see Tamaki carrying Ami over to him, and he set her down gently on the beach towel.

"I cut my foot!" Ami said, tears in her eyes as Kyoya-finally-placed down his notebook and knelt to inspect the damage. Her fans gathered around and waited with baited breath.

"Not to worry, my dear," Kyoya said. "I'll take care of you." He opened up his first aid kit and cleaned and dressed the wound in a few short minutes. "This does of course mean, you'll have to stay out of the water for the rest of the day."

Ami's fans groaned in sadness from across the beach. She waved to them, "Don't worry about me. It'll make me so happy to see all of you enjoying yourselves!" She winked and gave them her signature peace sign and with that everyone else went about their day if only just to keep her smiling.

Ellie and Max left the comfort of the shade, a little upset because they couldn't stir any drama, but then again…maybe they didn't have to. It was summer, they had plenty of other things to do. Ellie saw that Max was watching Kieran play with a crab and she pushed her brother over to him.

"Go enjoy yourself bro," she said, and then winked. Max blushed and then nodded and walked over to Kieran and sat with him in the sand.

Ellie ran over to Margo and hopped on her back, "Let's go show those guys how it's done!" she cheered. Margo laughed and then carried Ellie over to the water and engaged in a water wrestling match against Mori and Andie.

Tamaki dried the water from his hair and then took a bite of Haruhi's burger—which she was quick to push him away from. Ami was quick enough to snatch Kyoya's black book from his lap and flipped open to the last page he had been writing on. It was a sketch of the beach with notes about a private resort idea he was thinking about.

"I think it's a great idea," Ami said, handing him back his book.

"We can develop it together," Kyoya said as she laid her head in his lap.

"SO CUTE!" Tamaki cheered as he wiggled in the sand with hearts floating around him.

"Don't you have something better to do, Tamaki?" asked Ami and Kyoya—both with the same annoyed tone in their voice.

"Why are you mean?!" Tamaki yelled at them.

"Some privacy would be nice...to start..." Kyoya muttered.

Tamaki was hurt, "How can you try and get rid of me?! Why, I practically got you two together!"

"You did not…" Kyoya sighed and opened his notebook again.

Tamaki started on a rant about all the things he had said and done to get the two together throughout the year. Haruhi watched the scene with a small smile on her lips. This was probably one of the best years of her life. Though she wasn't at the center or the lead of everything that happened, she was happy to sit back and help her friends when she could. Kyoya was happy, Hikaru and Kaoru were happy, even Mori-Senpai was slightly more cheerful than he normally was. It was a good ending, to a great year.


	31. Omake:What are they doing up there?

**Omake #9**

 **What are they doing?**

 **Santa Monica, CA, Noble Property**

The waves were big and the water was cool, and the Host club was having a wonderful break. Tamaki had flown out to France a week ago so that left Haruhi up to the devices of her mischievous friends. Ami and the girls were sitting together out of the sun and chatting quietly about their summer plans. Ami and Haruhi would take some time to travel Europe together with Kyoya and Tamaki in a few weeks and then they'd end in Japan where Ami would be spending the rest of summer with the Ootori family to get know them.

"Amelie…" came Kyoya's voice from behind. She turned with a smile and saw Kyoya motion for her to follow him, "Your father just sent over some records he wants us to look over, and since it's a nice day, I thought you'd like to get them out of the way now."

"Ok, let's do it." said Ami. She left with Kyoya out into the main hall.

Tara waited for the two to get out of ear shot and then gave a smirk to Haruhi and Andie, "They're gonna _do_ it…"

"Tara!" Andie snapped at her. Haruhi blushed.

"But Kyoya is such a gentleman…no way…" said Haruhi.

"Have you seen the way he's been looking at her lately?" asked Tara, "Like he's ravishing her in his mind! They've been looking for alone time together since they got engaged. I bet you he tries _and_ succeeds by the end of Summer!"

"Oh you are on!" said Andie, Haruhi couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Ami likes to tease so I doubt he'll get past second base."

"What are…the bases?" Haruhi was sure she'd regret asking this. And she did as both Andie and Tara had sinister looks cross their faces and shrouded Haruhi in shadow…

Ami walked into Kyoya's room first and admired the view he had. She never spent the time to explore every room in the estate, so she was always surprised by finding something new. The door clicked shut behind her and she turned to face Kyoya.

"So what did you want to—"

Kyoya pinned her against the door and kissed her deeply. Ami hadn't expected this…this sort of aggression from Kyoya. At least not so soon. She had taken him as the sort of guy who would wait to slowly seduce her before their wedding.

She pushed him away, "Kyoya!" she had to catch her breath and her face was hot, "What's gotten into you?" She liked it, but she wouldn't cave so easily.

"We haven't had a single second to ourselves since Summer started," said Kyoya, "I wanted to take what opportunity I could create." He lowered his head to her neck and kissed it lightly and Ami almost lost control of her knees.

"My father would kill you if he knew what you were doing," Ami said with a laugh. She pushed Kyoya away, again, and this time walked over to the window. She drew the blinds closed and looked back at Kyoya deviously. "Let's be bad…"

Hours had passed by and everyone began to wonder where Kyoya and Ami had disappeared to. Haruhi was busy trying to collect herself after hearing what Andie and Ami had told her. Tara happily shared her ideas with everyone which made the twins grin.

"Alright, Kyoya-Senpai!" the twins high fived. "Who knew he was the Christian Grey type?" asked Hikaru.

"A what?" asked Haruhi.

"Don't ask!" Andie covered Haruhi's ears and dragged her away.

"Let's go bug them!" said Kaoru and he and Hikaru dragged Tara away while the others chased after them.

No one wanted to throw the door open first, but after hearing whines and moans coming from behind the door, Hikaru and Kaoru decided they were the ones to do it. On the count of three they kicked the door open and Mori covered Honey's eyes while the others looked on in wonder…

"Kyoya stop, please! It's too much!" came Ami's voice.

"Um…what?" asked Andie as they all looked in.

Kyoya and Ami were on the floor playing monopoly and from the looks of it, Kyoya was winning. Ami looked up at the others and frowned, "He's bankrupting me! Kyoya you're so mean!"

"You shouldn't have bought all that real estate…" he clicked his tongue and then held out his hands as Ami paid out.

"I'm your fiance! You shouldn't be so ruthless on me." She whined.

"Have you two…been up here…playing games all day?" asked Tara, her voice was clearly irritated.

"Of course," said Kyoya.

"What else would we be doing?" Ami asked, as if she couldn't believe the others.

No one wanted to answer.

"It turns out, Kyoya is quite competitive when it comes to games. And he _said_ he never played monopoly before!" She glared at her fiance who smirked at her.

"Beginners luck." he said.

"You're a damn dirty liar, Kyoya Ootori! I will end you!"

Everyone backed out of the room as the two went back to playing their game. Andie bopped Tara on the head, "You have a terrible, dirty, mind, Tara. Shame on you for scaring poor Haruhi like that."

The others scolded her as well and she seemed incredibly confused. Ami whispered to Tara from the door and when Tara looked at her, Ami stuck her tongue out. "That's for the school play!"

Tara couldn't help but laugh. Ami definitely got her back.


	32. Omake 10: A Group Date!

**Omake #10**

 **A Group Date**

It was all Haruhi's idea…believe it or not.

A group date to an amusement park. America would be celebrating it's independence and Haruhi suggested that when the fireworks went off that they should all be on the ferris wheel together. By all, she meant: Tara and the twins, Kyoya and Ami, Mori and Andie, Honey and Kanazuki (who had flown out to spend a week with him) and Tamaki and herself. They'd all do whatever they wanted to and had to meet back at the ferris wheel by 7pm.

"Haruhi sure is chipper," Ami said as she and Kyoya walked through the park arm in arm. Tamaki and Haruhi were right behind them and Haruhi had worn her hair in pigtails with a lovely dress. Normally she wouldn't dress like that. "I think she's up to something."

"Perhaps," said Kyoya, "But let's not think too much about it or else the twins will catch wind of it."

Ami nodded, "Right. They are really good at ruining surprises."

Tamaki grabbed Ami by the hand and dragged her over to the wack-a-mole stand and asked her to help him win a prize for Haruhi. Ami agreed and the two put on their serious faces and decided they wouldn't give up until they won the biggest prize. A four foot tall giant teddy bear with a pink bow around it's neck.

"They'll be at that for some time." Kyoya sighed and then took out his phone. Haruhi snatched his phone away and put it in her purse.

"No phones, Senpai. We all have to focus on each other tonight." Haruhi said. There was a blush to her cheeks and Kyoya could tell she definitely had a plan.

"Alright, whatever you say, Haruhi."

They watched as Tamaki and Ami teamed up against the machine and won an excessive amount of tickets. The vendor told them to leave and threw the teddy bear at them and the two rejoiced and danced around with it. They named him, Mochi Senior.

"Haruhi look what your loving boyfriend won for you!" Cheered Tamaki.

"We can't drag that around with us everywhere, Tamaki." Haruhi said, she tried her best to be as blunt as she used to, but nevertheless Tamaki took it as insult and sunk into a depression.

They rented a wagon for the night and dragged Mochi Senior around behind them. Haruhi was embarrassed but Tamaki was all cheer and grins. Ami slowed down and pulled Kyoya with her so the couple could get ahead of them. She pointed off to a photo booth and Kyoya nodded. They were off to take as many pictures as Ami wanted.

Tara and the twins had ridden on all the fastest rides they could find. They were running around on the high of adrenaline speeding through their systems. As they walked through the amusement park hand in hand, they saw Ami and Kyoya inside of a photo booth and decided to crash it. Luckily they interrupted when there were two pictures left and they all squeezed in and made the worst faces they could find until they were all cracking up in the last photo—whereas Kyoya simply smirked in the last one.

Honey was sure Andie and Kanazuki were getting along wonderfully. They actually had a lot in common, as Kanazuki enjoyed sharing her tales of macabre fairy tales from Europe and Andie responded with knowing meals that were inspired by them. Honey and Mori decided to win prizes for the girls and both went to the _test your strength_ machines. Honey won a small keychain of a black cat for Kanazuki while Mori won the top prize, a scarf with cupcakes all over it for Andie who put it on immediately. Tamaki found them and they all went off to get cotton candy and other food that was sure to make them sick later.

Kyoya and Ami caught up with everyone else later on, and went to enjoy one of the music shows that was playing in the center of the amusement park. Haruhi was looking more and more nervous as the day went on. Ami snuck over to her and dragged her off to the one of the souvenir stores and they started looking through the clothes together.

"You seem a little on edge, Haruhi." Said Ami and she looked through several different horrible styled shirts to try and find one to make Kyoya wear.

"Me? What? No…I…" Haruhi blushed a little and turned to look at magnets so Ami couldn't see her.

"What are you planning? I can probably help!" Ami said just as she found the perfect shirt. It was a horrendous yellow, with orange along the collar, and the image of the amusement parks mascot a black and white cat with multi colored balloons over it. Perfect, she thought.

"No no, it's ok," Haruhi gave off a nervous laugh and Ami could tell she was determined to do whatever it is she planned, on her own.

"Ok, I can't wait to see what it is!" Ami patted her on the head and went back over to be with Kyoya.

It was seven o'clock and the whole group made their way to the ferris wheel. Everyone got into a box car four at a time. It was Kyoya, Ami, Tamaki and Haruhi in one. Andie, Mori, Honey and Kanazuki and in the last one was Tara and the twins. They went around three times and then stopped at the top. Fireworks exploded in the sky and Haruhi could hear the twins cheering from down below. Kyoya took out his phone and took a photo with Ami and Tamaki placed his arm around Haruhi.

"I love you guys…" Haruhi said. Ami and Kyoya looked over at her and Tamaki smiled, she went on to say, "I know it's not big or elaborate like things you're used to seeing or doing…but…I wanted to do this for you. For all of you. To show you that I appreciate your friendship."

"We love you too Haruh-Chan!" Honey cried from behind them in the other car.

"Haruhi!" Tara cried, "You're so sweet!"

Tamaki took Haruhi by the hands and looked her in the eyes, "Haruhi, this is amazing, only because you did it, on your own." He kissed her and she blushed deeply.

"I wanted to show that I could do something for all of you. And just have a night without anything crazy happening."

"This was a great night, Haruhi," Ami said.

Everyone sat back in their seats and enjoyed the view of the park and the city lights in the distance. Haruhi smiled and relaxed. It wasn't big and expensive but it was personal.


	33. Thank you!

To all my readers, viewers, and followers!

I'm blushing like Senpai just noticed me! Your views have really made me feel so good inside. I honestly didn't expect even a single person to read this, and now I'm getting over 1K views per week. This has meant so much to me, especially because lately I've been going through some pretty rough things and am in the process of starting my life all over again. I'm chasing a dream in LA, but still make the time to try and write every day. The new chapters might take a little longer to post (probably once per week now) as I'm starting a new full time job and it's killing me X(

But never the less, I shall continue the story! Currently I've wrapped up writing for Ouran and am starting on an Avengers fic. But that doesn't mean that Ami and Kyoya's stories are done! You will continue to see them in comedic omake as well as a short continuation that flash forwards to the Ouran the Next Generation. In this brief series of 15 short chapters, we'll get to meet the children of the Host Club and the OCs from Ami's world. Here's a sneak peek: Ami and Kyoya have two boys, Ryoji and Tobias Ootori who are (literally and metaphorically) the black sheep at Ouran. Ryoji is the perfect mix of Kyoya and Ami and we'll see how well he does when an unexpected illness forces his family to stay in Japan and he's forced to attend Ouran.

Cheers, love, and so much blushing!

Forever your Otaku Princess,

Amazon


	34. Omake: Ami is not a house wife

**Omake #11**

 **Ami is not a house wife**

It was nearly time to fly to California for Summer, but Kyoya had come down with a cold. He stayed in his room and was self medicating. He was sure within a few days he'd get much better. He texted Ami, telling her he'd have to take a rain check on their afternoon date. Minutes later, there was rapid knocking on his door and he opened it and stepped aside as Ami rushed in with bags of groceries.

"Kyo, you can't be sick! We're leaving in a few days!" she went into his kitchen and started setting things up. "Get in your pajamas, and I'll fix you something."

"I've been sick before, Ami. I can take care of myself." He smiled at her as she rushed around.

"As your future wife, I should learn to take care of you when you're ill! And our kids! And me…My dad always took care of me. So I'll pay it forward! Now change into your pajamas!" she snapped at him. Kyoya did as he was demanded and changed as Ami prepped the kitchen.

 _Andie…how do I heat up soup?_

She waited for her friend to text her back while she did her best to figure out how to open a can. If anyone saw her struggling like this, she'd never live this down.

 _It's called a microwave, Ami…_

 _But like…how do I use it? Do I put the whole can in?_

 _Jesus please don't do that. Put it in a bowl and then heat it up._

Ami did as Andie suggested and heated the soup up. When she tasted it the first time, it was cold, and the second time, a bit too hot! She spilled the hot soup all over her shirt and quickly pulled her shirt off.

"Ami…"

She turned to see Koya coming out of his bedroom and his cheeks were red as he stared at her. "Like you haven't seen me in a bikini or something…" she said and tossed her hair over her shoulder. Kyoya sighed and then went to get a shirt for her to wear. It came down to her thigh and she smiled and twirled around in it. Her shorts were very short and so it looked like all she was wearing was his shirt. "Cute, huh?"

Kyoya smiled and then proceeded to clean up the mess she made. "Ami, I can truly take care of myself. You should go before I get you sick."

Ami kissed him on the cheek and went back to working around Kyoya's room, "No! I can do this. Aside from soup, what else do you need? A hot pack? Lay down and I'll heat it up!" She pushed Kyoya onto his bed and then went into his bathroom and found a hot pack.

"You only use those when you've got chest pain…" said Kyoya. Ami glared at him and he said no more and laid back.

"What do I do?" she asked as she sat next to him.

Kyoya suddenly got an idea and smirked, "You'll have to apply the chest cream to my skin and then put the heat on top of it." He began to unbutton his shirt and Ami blushed, "What? Like you haven't seen me shirtless before?" He winked at her.

"Not funny!" she hit him and then looked away, "This is serious."

Kyoya pulled her down to the bed and held Ami in his arms, "You're adorable when you try to do things like this."

"Like what?" Ami asked, he smiled, "I'm a child of privilege Kyoya. Everything was done for me, and I'm certain you're not any different."

"I at least have the pride to admit when I can't do something. Why not have someone else do it for you?" asked Kyoya, he sighed and then took his glasses off.

"Because we have to be functional adults, dummy."

Kyoya pulled Ami closer and kissed her and then pushed her off the bed, "Then I'll walk you through how to take care of someone with a cold."

"This doesn't mean I'm going to be a house wife, you know!" she stuck her tongue out at him, "If I take care of you when you're stick, then you have to learn to cook!"

"Deal," said Kyoya. Ami got the medicine and rubbed it on his chest and then placed the heat pack on. She listened as Kyoya walked her through which medicine to pour and how to take his temperature. Was she the best at it? No. But she was determined to learn and that's what he loved about her.

Days later, as they were about to fly to California, Ami was wrapped in a scarf and sneezing. Kyoya knew this would happen and was prepared. He gave her some medicine and held her in his arms as she slept her cold away.


	35. Chapter 21: A Day with the Nobles

**Chapter Twenty One**

Kyoya's Day with the Nobles

Tamaki and Haruhi had gone off to Paris to visit his family while the twins and Tara went to Japan with Honey, Mori, and Andie. So that left Kyoya and Ami alone to do whatever they wanted. And Ami wanted to spend time with her family. She figured it'd be a good idea to get them used to having Kyoya around and plus he'd need to get used to her father. Once they graduated college, he'd be around her father for nearly ten hours a day.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Kyoya said. He was typing on his computer but he could tell that Ami was stressing out. She was tapping her fingers on her tablet and sighing a lot.

"I'm just worried you'll think…differently of my father after a week with him." Ami said, "He's much different when he's at home."

"Amelie, I've been friends with Tamaki for practically five years, if I can handle him, I'm certain I can handle anyone."

Hours later, they landed in LAX and were met by the Noble personal staff who already had their bags and a private car ready to go. Kyoya tucked away his computer and listened as Ami told him about all the different places they'd get to visit such as Calabasas, Santa Monica, Hollywood, and anywhere he wanted to explore. Kyoya studied the geography of Los Angeles and found it interesting. On a map, it was divided by other little towns within it. It was a flat, rolling landscape of dozens of towns and cities within one city. How fascinating.

Then they entered Beverly Hills. They rolled under a gate and began to slowly ascend a hillside. There were hundreds of homes each with security and private notices slapped on the front to ward off paparazzi. "So this is where the rich and wealthy live, hmm?" Kyoya asked.

"Well, some of them," Ami said with a shrug, "They're all spread out everywhere, but for the most part, we live here. It's like a community…except we don't really socialize."

She was bored. It was no wonder she felt most alive when at school. She could do whatever she wanted and spend that time with anyone she wanted. Kyoya grabbed her hand and smiled at her.

"I mean, I'm not complaining!" Ami said and then laughed, "Everyone who lives out here is constantly working. My father included. It'd be nice to meet the neighbors beyond a brief hello, is all…We do get together for big events and stuff. There'll be one this weekend, so we have to dress our best, ok Kyo?" She kissed him on the cheek and Kyoya pushed up his glasses.

"Anything for you, Princess."

After a few more minutes of driving, they arrived at the top of the hill where there were large golden security gates with the Noble family crest over it. "Honestly, I don't know why my father insists we put the crest on everything…I don't even know why we _have_ a crest!" Ami said as the driver typed in the code and then we buzzed in.

"Keeping up appearances," Kyoya said while rolling down the window and taking in the massive estate. The front drive way was several hundred feet long and lined with perfectly sculpted lawn decor and bushes, flowers and trees in full bloom, and a fountain that created a roundabout. The mansion looked as if it were straight out of a movie. It was white and two stories high and he was thrilled to see the rest of it.

"I know," Ami said as they got out of the car, "It's excessive."

"MY BABY!"

Terrance Noble was outside in moments and picked up Ami and twirled around with her in his arms, gushing about how much he missed her. Vivianne Noble stood on the steps, waiting for her husband to calm down. Once he put Ami down he walked over to Kyoya who already had his hand outstretched.

"Nonsense!" Terrance said as he pulled Kyoya into a hug, "You're family now, my boy!"

"Nearly," Vivianne said after hugging Ami and kissing her on the cheek. She walked over to Kyoya and hugged him as well, but more courteously than her husband.

"Vivi don't ruin the fun!" Terrance said, "Yes, we have a few years to wait, but we'll treat him like family anyway. Come with me, Kyoya my boy, I'll show you the estate."

"Daddy that'll take too long!" Ami whined, she grabbed Kyoya's hand and pulled him away from her father, "Why don't we do it tomorrow on the golf carts? We're hungry—"

"Actually I'm not hungry—"

Ami glared at him, "I said _we're hungry_!"

"I'll get the staff started on lunch," Viviane said, pulling Ami away from the men, "And will get something inside of our daughter. You two go have fun."

Before Kyoya could thank Vivianne for her kindness, he was dragged off through the front doors. The entry way where the grand staircase and all the halls were. Terrance listed off everything so quickly, Kyoya wasn't entirely sure he had gotten everything correct. Supposedly the kitchens and the back exits were to the left, the entertainment center and gym were down the middle corridor, and to the right were private offices, meeting rooms, and the spa. They went upstairs which arched beautifully like a U. The walls in the hall were glass and Kyoya could see the rest of the estate from this view. It went on for nearly a mile. Down the halls Terrance pointed out which doors were bathrooms and which ones were bedrooms. He entertained a lot of international guests so there were extra bedrooms on the bottom floor while up here, were the private rooms.

Ami's room was at the very end of the left side of the U, next to the back staircase that led straight to the kitchens. "God help me, if I had put that girl on the other side of the house," Terrance said, "She may seem sweet, but she's as dangerous as a viper if she hasn't eaten in a few hours." He opened the door to Ami's room which was…for lack of a better word, massive. Her bed could have fit the entire host club, while her bathroom was luxury redefined. The bathtub was built into the floor with jets and painted black so it looked like a mirror. Her shower had three shower heads, each with a different setting, and there were speakers in every room for her music enjoyment.

"Excessive is a terrible understatement," Kyoya whispered under his breath as they walked through the bathroom to the room that was connected to it.

"This is where Tara and Andie stay when they visit," Terrance said, "You can stay in this room."

Kyoya bowed to Terrance, "Thank you, sir."

"Call me…Father!" Terrance said as he hugged Kyoya. Kyoya frowned, this seemed all too familiar. It was like an older, richer, Tamaki. Ami was right…he couldn't believe she was absolutely right.

"Now for the fun stuff!" Terrance said as he pulled Kyoya along with him.

They took a golf cart and drove through the back of the estate. There was an outdoor pool, a pond, a small garden maze, a tennis court in the back, and a green house. "Vivi's idea, she does like to do some things on her own." And last but not least, Terrance's favorite, a zen garden. There were spaces for yoga mats where Terrance explained he liked to meditate.

"And that's the estate!" Terrance said, he nodded as he looked around at what he had built. "It feels good, Kyoya. When you can look around and say…I did this. Me. Maybe in a couple decades this'll be yours and Ami's…or maybe you'll build something of your own. Whatever it is you go after…make sure it's for the right reasons."

Dinner was ready and Ami took her place at her father's left while her mother sat at his right. Kyoya sat next to Ami and once again thanked the family for having him over.

"So polite," Vivianne said, she smiled, "It's a welcome change."

"I'm polite!" Ami said in defense.

"When you're well fed…" both her parents muttered. Ami felt like she got hit by an arrow. Kyoya chuckled and she glared at him.

"Kyoya you haven't been home in months, you must miss, Japan?" Vivianne asked.

"It'll be nice to return home for a while," said Kyoya, "But honestly, I'm quite interested in staying in America to study."

"Focused already?" asked Terrance, "Kyoya you should really be concentrating on the now." He tapped the table with his fork, "You're with family, and the woman of your dreams!" He winked and Ami rolled her eyes and laughed, "Worry about that stuff later."

"I..have to agree," said Vivianne, Ami was shocked to hear her say this, "It's summer. The weather is perfect. Have fun."

Later…

Ami and Kyoya had finished getting ready for bed and he laid down next to her in her over sized bed with the curtains drawn.

"Your parents won't mind we're in here together?" Kyoya asked as he ran his finger up and down her arm.

Ami played with the collar to his shirt and smiled, "Well it's never bothered them before."

"What?"

"Ha! Gotcha!"

He pulled Ami closer to him and she laughed as he tickled her. Their faces were close and Kyoya leaned in to kiss her but as he did the house began to quake with intense ferocity. Ami laid back and sighed with frustration.

"He got bad news." She said.

"What do you mean?" Kyoya asked.

"Dad plays guitar hero when he gets bad news or when he's upset. He installed really high quality speakers and bass." Ami rolled over to the dresser next to her bed and then pulled out a pair of noise cancelling head phones. "You'll need these to sleep."

The next morning, Kyoya rolled over in his bed to see Ami jogging in place next to her father. They were wearing matching outfits with ipods attached to their arms.

"Morning Kyo! Time to exercise!" Ami said.

He pulled the blanket up over his head.

It was whipped off immediately by Terrance, "Now, now, Kyoya. In this family, we get up bright and early and go for a run together!"

Kyoya's face was nothing short of pure evil, and it was met by the glowing smiles of Ami and Terrance. Fifteen minutes later, Kyoya was slowly walking behind the family. Vivianne was on the phone about something and Ami was chatting with her father.

"What had you so upset last night, Daddy?" she asked.

"Oh just business stuff. It appears that Jack Koby is trying to run our business into the ground by hiring people to write bad reviews about us. You may think that journalist are nothing, but to a business like ours, it can make us or break us."

"What are we going to do?"

Terrance looked down at Ami and winked at her and gave her the peace sign, "We're gonna fight fire with fire, sweetie!"

Kyoya was incredibly fascinated by how Ami and Terrance interacted. She was everything he was. Forward, loud, inventive, and enthusiastic. How did Terrance end up with someone like Vivianne? She was still on her phone talking about work. Wasn't she the one who told Kyoya to relax? He jogged a bit to catch up with her. Once she noticed Kyoya, she smiled at him and hung up her phone.

"Hello Kyoya. Enjoying the family jog?"

"It's…early." Kyoya said, Vivianne smiled, a real smile.

"I used to hate it too. To be honest, I hate getting up so early. But Terrance is…persistent. When we get back, I'll make us both a strong cup of coffee."

"That sounds wonderful Mrs. Noble," he looked at her and noticed that Ami took heavily after her mother as far as looks went. He wondered if the same would happen with their children? If they ever had any…why would he be thinking about that now?

"You probably wondered why I've been on the phone so much, hmm?" she asked. He nodded. "Terrance is…God bless him…a great man. He's a wonderful father, a great husband, and he has such great ideas…he just…can't run a business to save his life." She chuckled and then went on, "I end up taking care of all the finances, the arrangements, and end up managing the VPs and managers. It's tiring work."

"What does Mr. Noble actually do?" Kyoya asked.

"He's the face of the company. He's the one all the men want to be and all the women want to seduce…"

"Doesn't that make you jealous?" Kyoya asked. He looked over at Ami and thought he couldn't be jealous of anyone, but as the last year showed him, that was a misconception. He was jealous, frequently. When they walked around in public he saw all the looks they got from men and women. Mostly the looks Ami got. She was always so lost in her head that she didn't notice.

"Why in the world would I be jealous?" Vivianne laughed and then placed her arm around Kyoya. She motioned to Ami and Terrance who were plotting something up ahead, "Look at the people we've fallen in love with. When they want something, they get it. They wanted us and got us and they're going to keep us. Terrance never notices any other woman. He talks with them, flirts with them, but it's part of a plan. A means to get himself closer to his objective. I admire it."

Perhaps this was the family Kyoya belonged to all along.

"I trust him with all of my heart. We balance each other. He's the yin to my yang. Without me, I think he could do alright. My husband could run everything if he wanted to. He's just so focused on making sure it all runs well and everyone is happy. The things that make the company run…he tends to neglect. But as long as at the end of the day everyone is smiling…he's a happy man." She looked at Kyoya, "It's what he's been raising Amelie to be all her life."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow, "I thought you wanted her to be—"

"Successful and smart. A person who could lead the company once her father and I retire. Yes. Unfortunately, you sidelined those plans." Kyoya was going to try to say something but Vivianne interrupted him, "But it's for the better I think. We have you now. And I'm sure you'll do this family proud by running the company."

Kyoya was surprised yet honored at the same time, "You don't believe Amelie will run the company?"

"Oh not at all. But she's truly taken a new appreciation for music and I believe her studying psychiatry will benefit her in the long run. I'm happy she met you. You're apart of this family Kyoya. Everything we do from here on out, will include you."

"REVENGE!" Cheered Ami and Terrance, who Kyoya had nearly forgotten about.

"You're not burning down his company…" Vivianne said with a very, very, deep, irritated sigh.

"Why not?" Terrance whined.

"Run why you still can," Vivianne whispered to Kyoya. She then caught up with her husband and daughter and hit them both in the back of the head, "Idiots…the both of you. What kind of press do you think we'd get if we tried that?"

"I'm teaching our daughter about taking initiative!"

"Yeah!"

"DON'T ENCOURAGE HIM, AMELIE!"

Kyoya laughed as he watched them interact. He liked being apart of this family already.


	36. Omake: The E-Club Was Drama Free

**Omake #12**

The E-Club Was " _drama-free_ "

Ami and Kyoya sat on the second floor of the club room working on the last of the plans for the E-Club's events. He leaned on the railing and watched the other Entertainers mingle with their guests. They were rather tame, just sitting and drinking tea and chatting happily. There were never really any big dramatic explosions from someone having an emotional breakdown…There weren't guests slapping or yelling at anyone. In fact they seemed to work in perfect harmony. He was curious if they acted like this before the hosts arrived or if they had changed at all?

"Amelie, I'm curious…" he started. She looked up from the laptop and smiled at him, "How is your club so…in control?"

"What do you mean?" Ami asked.

"There's no…drama. Everything is so calm and collected."

Ami grinned, "It's Summer and this year was particularly calm for us—well, I mean there wasn't any time for it because of the drama all of you brought." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "Kinda worth it though."

"Kind of?" He kissed her cheek and then sat down at the table with her, "What did it used to be like?"

Ami sat and thought…

Two years ago…

"Oh Miss Noble!" Ami's client blushed as Ami held her hand and looked into her eyes.

"Forgive me, I'm just so overwhelmed by your humbleness. How could you shy away from such compliments?" Said Ami.

The girl who sat with her had turned a very deep shade of red and Ami smiled at her, happy to have done her job. Tara motioned _wrap it up_ to Ami, as she had queue of other patrons waiting for her. She bid her farewells to her guest and then stood up from the table to take a quick break.

CRASH!

Across the room, Margo held up a young man against the newly wallpapered wall and was threatening to punch the young man. Kieran stood right behind her, ready to help if needed. Ami ran over to the scene and pushed Margo away, stepping between her and her victim.

"What is going on here?!" she demanded.

"He was threatening my guest…" Margo said. Behind her at her table, was a girl with red hair and tears in her eyes. "He doesn't like her coming here, and tried to forcefully remove her."

"Yeah…" said Kieran, popping his fingers, preparing for a fight.

Ami flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned back to the young man who was glaring at them all, "You know I don't believe in violence…" Ami started. "That goes for our guests as well. This young man is a guest and so must be treated like so."

"But Ami—"

"Margo…please…" Ami nodded and shut her eyes, "Please return to your guest and take care of her. Kieran…walk with me."

Ami looped her arm through the young mans and walked him around the room with Kieran trailing behind. "I'm terribly sorry you weren't appropriately welcomed. Margo is a good girl, she's just very protective of her friends. As we all are. Let me introduce you to our staff." She pointed over to Andie who was catering to her customers at the food bar, "Andrea Johanssen, I call her Andie. She's from a long line of Swiss chefs who have catered to royalty for hundreds of years. You've seen Taralynn Moby, our club secretary and vice president, her mother is a lawyer…which is always good to have, wouldn't you agree?" She smiled at the young man but there was something dangerous behind it, "Over there you'll see Ellie and Maxwell Harrison. They're very popular with people who have a thing for twins. Their father is a prison warden so they know everything there is to know about local laws and prison life. Over here we have Nate Preston, Nate is actually in line to run their mother's music company. You've met Kieran here," The young man looked over his shoulder at Kiera who was glaring at him, "He's our resident juvenile delinquent. In Ireland, they called him the Iron Bull, if you don't pull him off someone, he'll just keep going until they're out!" Ami chuckled and then motioned back to Margo, "Margo's father runs a construction company here, she's worked there now and again, and of course you know her as the president of the athletics club! And me…well…I'm just your run of the mill heiress with a hundreds of connections all over the world. If I wanted to…I could do whatever I wanted…" Amelie lost her smile here and glared at the young man, "You're banned from this side of campus. If you have classes over here, you'll have them switched by the morning. I'll also be processing a restraining order against you in the name of our wonderful, frequent guest. Come within five hundred feet of her and you'll be arrested. If there's one thing I can't stand…it's an intolerant bully. Our guests are free to enjoy the company of any of our hosts, and they can spend as much time as they wish here. This is a safe place. You are not a safe person. You should never lay your hands on someone…ever. Effective immediately, if you are seen around our club or that girl…I cannot promise what Kieran will and will not do. For your personal safety…I suggest you run…"

Ami didn't have to repeat herself as the young man took off and left the building. Kieran followed him out, just to make sure he was truly gone. Ami tossed her hair, sat at a table, and greeted her next customer…

Present Day…

"We looked out for each other like we do now…" said Ami, "We're a family. Sometimes we have slow days. Sometimes we fight. But at the end of the day, we're together, and changed for the better."

The twins had pulled a chair out from under Margo and she chased them around the room. Kieran tripped Ellie who started yelling at him and Nate got between them to try and calm everyone down.

"I doubt we're anymore different than the Host Club." Ami said, she kissed Kyoya and she skipped down the stairs to call her club back to attention. "How many times do I have to tell you two, no tricks during club hours!" Ami snapped at Ellie and Max. The twins started to whine and complained about all of Ami's rules and Ami reminded them that Tara took care of the rules and Tara argued that it was her job to write them, not to enforce them…and it all became a big mess. Kyoya smiled as he looked over at his own club and watched Tamaki yell at the twins and then become insulted by something Haruhi yelled.

"MAMA!" Tamaki yelled over to Kyoya. Kyoya rolled his eyes and then walked over to the other hosts. There was definitely no difference in their clubs.


	37. Chapter 22: The Noble Ootori's

**Maybe You're My Love!**

Chapter Twenty Two: The Noble Ootori's

Kyoya opened the car door for Ami and gently took her hand to lead her to the front door. He could tell she was impressed by how large the estate was. Though Kyoya knew for a fact that it was nothing compared to her Beverly Hills Mansion. Perhaps she was only being polite.

"You can calm down, Kyoya." said Ami. He looked at her, unsure what she was talking about. Then he felt his palm relax. He had made a fist without realizing it.

"My apologies…" he smiled at her, "what would I do without you?" He kissed her lightly before they went on.

"Kyoya!" Fuyumi, Kyoya's older sister, ran out of the main house and tackled her brother with a big hug. She then noticed Ami and hugged her, "Oh my goodness, you must be my new sister-in-law! Look at you! Your skin is so smooth and dark! How is your hair so curly?!"

"Fuyumi!" Kyoya growled at his sister and tried to pry her away from Ami, "That's impolite! And you need to speak in English in front of her."

"That's ok, I encourage you all to speak Japanese. I'm starting to pick up," said Ami…in Japanese!

"When did you find the time to learn that?" Kyoya asked her, he was impressed and gave her that special devilish look he saved just for her.

"I have my ways…" Ami said. Her _ways_ were eavesdropping on the Hosts when they didn't think anyone was around and then writing down what they said and then translating it later. Was it clever? No. Did it get the job done? Barely. She ended up buying three _how to speak and understand Japanese_ books and audio programs...but Kyoya didn't need to know that.

Ami then pushed past Kyoya and bowed to Fuyumi, "It's so nice to finally meet you! Kyoya told me all about you. What he failed to mention was that you are absolutely stunning!"

Fuyumi hugged Ami again and started gushing about how excited she was to meet an American girl, and she never thought Kyoya would actually fall in love.

"Well that's rude..." Kyoya said under his breath.

"He's such a grouch all the time! It's such a relief to see a smile around here!" Said Fuyumi. "Not to mention another girl! And you're so beautiful! Honestly I expected Kyoya to end up with someone plain and boring-just like his personality!"

Ami laughed and Kyoya merely frowned deeper which made Fuyumi laugh as well.

"Fuyumi…" She stopped laughing and stepped away from Ami. Ami turned around to see Yoshio Ootori. It'd been a while since she had last seen him. The stars of admiration in his eyes were gone. He was upset. Or maybe he just looked that way when he had no one to impress. He stood at the top of the steps to the estate and waved them all in. "Allow Kyoya to escort his fiance inside."

Fuyumi bowed to their father and walked ahead of them. Kyoya took Ami by the hand again and approached his father. He bowed and Ami did the same, and the gesture was returned. Yoshio extended his hand to Ami who looked at Kyoya for reassurance. He nodded, and passed her hand onto his father.

"A pleasure to see you again, Miss Noble. How is your father?" asked Yoshio as they walked inside. His tone was less than casual. More like business, like he needed an update on a report.

"Oh, he's doing well. He and mother are in India researching natural medicine and incense. It's the latest craze in California."

"How fascinating," said Yoshio. Ami could tell he was far from fascinated. It was almost like he didn't hear a word she said.

Ami tried her best to keep up with what Mr. Ootori was saying in Japanese as he gave her a tour of the Estate. She had to interrupt him now and again to repeat what he said. He enjoyed the fact that she was teaching herself. It showed her ambition. They arrived to what Ami could only guess was the room where they entertained guests. There were already two other men in the room and they both stood and greeted her formally.

"My two oldest sons," said Yoshio, "Yuuichi and Akito." They both kissed Ami's hand and she smiled at them.

"So good to meet you," she said.

"They'll be joining us for the duration of your stay and for dinner tonight." Yoshio said.

Kyoya walked in with Fuyumi and stood behind Ami. She looked up at him and saw that he had lost the light in his eyes. Like he was staring ahead but not actually seeing anything. "Amelie's had a long flight, father. Perhaps we should wait to have dinner another night?" said Kyoya. He placed his hand on Ami's lower back and she noticed his Akito looked disapprovingly at him.

"Nonsense," said Yoshio, "I'm sure Miss Noble would enjoy getting to know our family better. Wouldn't she?" He looked at Ami who wasn't sure how to respond.

"Um…" she had a feeling Kyoya would rather avoid a dinner tonight, so he could have more time to relax, but she didn't want to be rude. "I agree with Kyoya. It's been a very long flight and I'm not used to overseas travel, yet." She bowed to apologize, "But, I can do something for you, to show you I'm thankful."

xxxx

Yoshio sat on the edge of his chair with his eyes closed as Amelie played the violin. He was moved by it, as were Yuuichi and Akito. Fuyumi sat on the floor and wiped away her tears as she listened. Amelie had decided to play an original piece she wrote over the course of her last year at school. It was rough at the beginning, fast, and sharp, but then slowly evolved into a smooth, soft, wave like a river flowing. Fuyumi was sure the source of Ami's inspiration was in the room. She looked over at Kyoya who also had his eyes closed and smiled.

 _Music therapy_ …he thought. _A very good choice indeed_.

When Ami was finished, Kyoya walked her to the other side of the house to the guest bedroom. It wasn't far from his, but he decided it was best to stay with her until she fell asleep. He bought a night light to keep near her bed and set it up as she got ready in the bathroom.

"Kyoya? You're still here?"

"Of course, I was setting everything up before…" he lost his words as he turned around and saw Ami in her white, silk, night dress. Her hair was loosely pinned up, allowing a few curls to fall over her shoulders, and her glasses sat slumped halfway down her face, which made her eyes somehow look bigger.

"I know," she sighed and then pushed her glasses up, "I look like a nerd." She giggled and then walked up the steps to where the bed was. "Whoa! Look at how huge this is!" She jumped into the bed and sank into it, "So soft…how do you sleep in this alone?"

"I could join you, if you asked me too…" said Kyoya, as he crawled on the bed and straddled Ami.

"Join me, Kyoya," she whispered, "please."

He blushed as she pulled him down into the bed and laid her head on his chest. He could smell the floral products she used in her hair, and her hands were warm as they wrapped around him. Kyoya lifted Ami's face to his and kissed her—

"Ami! I brought you fresh towels!"

The two separated as quickly as they could as Fuyumi walked up the stairs and froze in place.

"Knock before you enter someone's room, Fuyumi!" Kyoya snapped at her. He took the towels from her arms and walked down to Ami's bathroom to put them away.

Fuyumi remained in her place, still frozen, smile still stuck on her face, her eyes burning into Ami who stayed in place…trying to figure out what to say.

She started with, "Uh…"

"But you're…supposed to wait until your wedding night…" Fuyumi said.

Kyoya sighed and pulled his sister down the stairs and to the door, "We were only talking."

"That didn't look like talking, Kyoya!" Fuyumi whispered harshly to him once they were in the hall. "What would father think if he saw you like that? What would he tell her father?!"

"Nothing, because nothing happened. Honestly…" Kyoya took a deep breath in and tried to compose himself. "Look, it's been a long day. Can I please go to bed?"

Fuyumi poked Kyoya in the chest, "I'll be watching you, little brother. That beautiful girl must keep her maiden hood in tact! You have four years to wait. And it'll be glorious on your wedding night when you finally—Kyoya?" he was nowhere to be seen.

By the time Kyoya awoke the next day, it was already mid-afternoon. He dressed and made his way to the dining hall where his father, Fuyumi, and brothers were just finishing up breakfast with Ami. She had created a plate for him and gave to it to him as he sat down. He kissed her on the cheek, to which he received a new set of glares from Akito.

"Kyoya's a late riser, if you hadn't noticed," said Yoshio, "He has low blood pressure."

"Really?" asked Ami, "I wouldn't have guessed by the temper he has." She stuck her tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes.

"Amelie," Akito called her attention and Kyoya shot a skeptical glare at him, "Tell me, what does that name mean?"

"It's French," she answered, "It means hard-working or industrious."

"What a perfect match," said Yoshio.

"My mother's family believes that the name creates the person."

"And what is your family?" asked Akito, "Are you all American?"

"My great-grandmother on my mother's side was French," said Ami, "and when she moved to America, she met my great-grandfather who was one of the first people to begin working on what today is the worlds most popular doll. We get royalty checks almost every month."

"So you come from a family of innovators?" asked Yuuichi, this was the first thing he had said to her.

"Yes, exactly."

"And your father?" asked Fuyumi.

"He was the youngest of three boys. They don't know much about their past because they were adopted. My father said his life starts and ends with him, and only him." She reveled in the thought, "My father is my personal hero…well…him and Oprah."

Fuyumi started telling Ami about an episode she saw once on a plane and it changed her life forever. Yoshio couldn't help but subtly compliment Kyoya on his choice of woman and that he was happy that at least one of his sons was getting married. Akito stood from the table and left after Yoshio said that.

Breakfast was soon over, but Ami stayed with Kyoya as he ate. Finally they had the day to do whatever they wanted, so Kyoya decided to take Ami to Kyoto. They would stay in his family's villa for a few days so Ami could see everything that was on her list. Though he had been here plenty of times, it seemed different now that he saw it through Ami's eyes. She pointed out he hadn't noticed before and it was adorable seeing her get this excited over trees. Ami wanted to explore nearly every temple, pray at every shine, and eat every food they could. By the end of their first day she was stuffed, satiated, and sleepy.

"It's so beautiful out here…" Ami said into her pillow as she laid down to give her body a break from all the walking. "The trees, and the music, and the Geisha's! The colors and their kimono's..."

Kyoya was on his laptop and writing something up but he smiled anyway as she slowly talked herself to sleep.

The next day they walked the philosophers path under the cherry blossoms, hand in hand, and Kyoya gave Ami his own tour of the area. He knew the history, the art, and the stories behind everything in Kyoto. He made it his priority to know everything about anywhere she wanted to go. As they stopped at a food vendor, Ami walked over to a pond that had beautiful, colorful, fish swimming around. She saw that there coins in the water and read the sign next to it. It was a wishing pond.

"What are you going to wish for?" whispered Kyoya into her ear. Ami's neck got hot and she stepped away from him. He had been trying to catch her off guard so he could bother her, and he was successful nearly every time.

"I haven't thought of a wish yet…" she said, once she gathered her senses. "I've got almost everything I could possibly want in life. How about you make a wish?"

Kyoya shook his head, "I don't believe in those silly tales and superstitions."

"Do it or I won't kiss you for the rest of the summer…" she threatened.

Kyoya flipped the coin into the water and Ami watched it sink to the bottom, "What did you wish for? That was so fast!"

He kissed her and then took her hand, "It already came true." She blushed. This was a new side of Kyoya she didn't think she'd see so soon. His guard was down, he wasn't being sarcastic, and he didn't need to show off for her anymore.

Many people stared at them as they went along their way and Ami soaked in the attention. Kyoya said it was rare for someone who looked like her to come all the way out to Kyoto. Most of the people were whispering about her hair and how soft her skin looked. A few children ran up and touched her hand or pulled a lock of her hair out. Kyoya would shoo them away, but Ami pulled one hair from her head and wrapped it around a little boys arm and she kissed him on the cheek. He blushed and ran over to his friends and started exclaiming something she couldn't understand. Ami felt like a forbidden princess. She could get used to this.

"You know in some cultures, tying a lock of hair around each other's wrist means you've been married to them." Said Kyoya, he smirked, "Are you ready for that kind of commitment?"

"Well he is kinda young..." said Ami, "But I guess I can wait ten years, though he would be in high school and that's a little later than I planned to start a family..."

"You can't be serious?"

Ami winked at Kyoya and laughed, "Yes, Kyo. I'm going to leave you for a nine year old boy. And you'll be disgraced and forever the lonely Ootori!"

Kyoya picked Ami up and spun her around and she laughed and hugged him tight, "You're so dramatic." He told her.

"I only deliver Oscar level performances, my good sir!" She kissed him and then went skipping ahead.

Kyoya tried picturing this trip without Ami. He wouldn't have come alone. Maybe with Tamaki. Or not at all. If had to come before, it was on business with his father. Without her, socializing and wasting time sight seeing was a chore. One he always forced himself to do. But now...

"Kyoya look! A butterfly! My first Japanese butterfly!" Ami jumped up and down and waved him over and began to take a hundred pictures of it.

Everything before was trivial...meaningless. Now...it was like he took off his glasses and could finally see. Who knew it'd be this pretentious, overly-sensitive, insecure American girl?

xxxx

Upon returning home to the Ootori residence, Ami felt Kyoya's walls come back up. He got out of the care, his face as hard as stone, and opened the door for her. Yoshio and his sons were already at the dinner table and Kyoya and Ami washed their hands before sitting down.

"How as your trip to Kyoto, Amelie?" asked Yuuichi.

"Oh it was wonderful! So beautiful! And the smell of the trees was enthralling. My mother is very much into perfume, and so I hope to bring her back out here and see if she can recreate such an amazing atmosphere."

"Kyoya treated you with respect, I hope?" asked Akito, he shot a glare at Kyoya who smiled a dangerous smile at his brother.

"Everything was…great." said Ami, "Um…where's Fuyumi?"

"She went home to her husband," said Yoshio, "She doesn't belong here and was only here to greet you and Kyoya. You'll see her again at the wedding."

"By the way, have you two established a budget for the wedding?" asked Akito.

"Oh my father's taking care of that," said Ami, "In America, the father of the bride pays for all the expenses. So there's no budget. We can go as big as or as little as we want!" Ami had stars in her eyes as she thought about the endless possibilities.

"Certainly, Kyoya, you won't let her father handle all of this on his own?" Akito went on. He was trying to bait Kyoya, but for what purpose? Ami just didn't know.

Dinner with the Ootor's was far less exciting then dinner with Ami's family. Normally her father would be exclaiming his next big plan and her mother would be shooting down all of his terrible ideas and coming up with new versions of what he wanted. When Ami and Kyoya had dinner they'd be scheming about what they were going to do in school and talking about the important people they had researched. Dinner with the Ootori's was…boring. Yoshio spoke to his eldest sons about work and then asked Kyoya about his opinion on other boring topics like finances and blah, blah, blah…Ami nearly fell asleep in her soup.

Finally as dinner ended, Kyoya walked her to her room and said he'd be back in a little while. He was going to take a bath and then change into his pajamas. Ami offered to join him in the bath which made him blush and she rejoiced as he walked away, knowing that she had at least gotten him back for Kyoto.

After Ami got out of the shower she took out her contacts and brushed her hair, as she did every night before braiding it and throwing herself into bed. She sat in the very plush robe that Fuyumi had left for her and felt herself dozing off. She walked up to the bed on the second floor and blindly felt around for her glasses. She must have misplaced them, but she could have sworn she put them on the night stand.

Footsteps coming up the stairs gave Ami some relief, she turned around and saw a blurry figure. "Kyoya!" she greeted him and held out her hand, "I can't find my glasses. Did I leave them in your room?"

"And why would any of your things be in Kyoya's room?"

"Akito?" she squinted and could just barely make out the taller, thin, form of Kyoya's second brother. Ami got off the bed and shut her robe tighter, "Did you need something? I didn't hear you knock."

Akito walked around the upper floor and looked at the paintings on the wall, "It's because I didn't knock," he looked over his shoulder at Ami who seemed a little standoffish, "Did I offend you?"

"You shouldn't come into a ladies room in the middle of the night," Ami moved away from Akito as he approached her, "It's not very proper."

"Tell me, Amelie," Akito walked over to the wall switch and dimmed the lights, "What did my younger brother do to convince you to marry him?" He chuckled a little, "I find it very difficult to think that Kyoya could actually fall in love unless our father told him to…but it'd be in his best interest to make an arrangement with someone from a well established family." He took Ami by the wrist and pulled her close, "what kind of deal did you make? I'm certain I could give you a much better one."

Ami glared at Akito and pushed him away, "How dare you," she accused, "Unlike you, Kyoya actually has emotions."

Akito scoffed, "Kyoya's only goal is to try—and fail, might I add—at becoming something more than the lowly, **third** son. All he wants is our father's approval. He'll never get it…No matter who he brings home to impress the old man."

"I get it now…" said Ami and she smirked at Akito, "You're jealous!"

Ami gasped as Akito tossed her onto the bed and pinned her down. She could clearly see the anger in his eyes and she smirked, "Beating you is not his one and only focus, though I can assure you, if you're threatened by him…you should be. Kyoya is twice the man you are, and already seceding you and your older brother…and he didn't even have to lift a finger—"

"Shut up!" Akito snapped at her. His grip became dangerously tight on her wrists.

Ami glared at him now, "You know Kyoya has a better chance at being the successor if he's the first to get married," she laughed in Akito's face, "You're pathetic."

"And what do you think he'll say if his precious love is no longer the perfect, blushing, bride she was made out to be?" Akito took one hand to undo Ami's robe and revealed her in her night gown, "You came onto me, and took advantage of the Ootori family…you blackmailed me. You'd bring shame on your family and our father would disown Kyoya for bringing home such filth."

"All this to dethrone, Kyoya?" asked Ami, she studied Akito's face, "He'll see right through you. Go ahead and do what you must. You've shown me something—Kyoya is the **only** good man in this home." Akito was scolded and he tried to find the words to say but nothing came out. "Get out of my room, Akito, and I'll forget this whole thing ever happened. I don't believe you knew who you were messing with before you came in here and I'll let that pass. Just know, you've poked the bull, and next time you threaten me or my fiancé, you **will** get the horns. I'll make sure you can never show your face in Japan or any medical facility within the United Nations ever again." Ami whipped her hands out of Akito's grasp and pushed him onto the floor. She stood over him, her eyes as sharp as daggers and her face cast in dark shadow. Akito could see the real Amelie. The dragon behind the flames.

"You and that bastard are a perfect match!" Akito spat at her. He stood to his feet and walked down the stairs. Just as he reached the bottom he saw Kyoya sitting on the couch below, reading a magazine. They met eyes, and Kyoya smirked. Akito opened the door and left with the nothing but the wind behind him.

"Asshole…" came Ami's voice from the second floor.

Kyoya walked up the steps quietly to see Ami feeling around the floor for her glasses. He smiled and knelt down in front her. He immediately regretted it as he was head-butted in the face!

"I thought I told you to—"

"Ami! It's me!" Kyoya said, holding his nose. Once she recognized him, Ami started to panic and she ran to the bathroom to get a towel and she held to his face. Luckily Kyoya wasn't breathing but he had a massive red mark on the bridge of his nose.

"I'm so sorry!" she said over and over again.

Kyoya laughed and pushed her hands away, "It's alright. I know now, to never get on your bad side." She helped Kyoya up and the two sat on her bed. Kyoya pulled her glasses out of his pocket and placed them on her face.

"Oh jeez, it looks even worse now that I can see…" Ami sighed and hugged Kyoya.

"It's fine, really." He lifted her chin and looked her in the eyes, "It's good to know that you can look after yourself. I had no idea Akito was that jealous of me…nor of his intentions."

"I may be a princess, but I'm a warrior princess. I just don't let it show," Ami winked and then put a cold towel on Kyoya's face. "My mother always taught me that I should never show people what I'm good at. Otherwise they'll take advantage of it. It's better to pull out the big guns when you really have to. Let them think you're small and vulnerable until they get up close and then bam! Strike them like a viper." She giggled and Kyoya had a hard time believing there was a poisonous creature voluntarily locked inside of her. He knew he loved her for a reason. Ami was looking down at her feet for a long time before Kyoya lifted her head again, "Sorry, I got a little lost in my thoughts."

"About Akito?" asked Kyoya, "I'll have some strong words with him in the morning."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared…but it's what he said about you that made me so angry! I just…he awakened the sleeping dragon!" She stood on the bed ready for a fight and Kyoya burst out into laughter. "Hey! I'm being serious!" She bopped Kyoya on the head and then sat back down. "And how long exactly where you downstairs for, huh?"

"I followed Akito in here," Kyoya said, "I saw him in the hall on my way to say goodnight to you and well…I just wanted to wait to see what he would do. I wouldn't have let him…It wouldn't have gone much further."

Ami pulled at Kyoya's sleeve and he saw the blush on her cheeks. She was trying to say something but instead Kyoya stood and led her out of the room to his bedroom down the hall. He locked the door and then he and Ami crawled into bed together. He held her in his arms and the two fell asleep.


	38. THE WEDDING!

**Omake #13**

The Wedding

Kyoya stood in front of the mirror and straightened his bow tie. Everything had gone according to plan down to the very last detail. The cake would be arriving shortly, the band was warming up in the back, and Tamaki was being kept busy by trying to find something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Kyoya failed to mention that this was typically done for the bride, but whatever kept Tamaki away from him and not crying, was all the better for the wedding. Kyoya would be the second of the hosts to be married. Honey had just recently returned from his honeymoon and would be flying in today to make it to the wedding on time. It was everything that Amelie wanted. A courtyard on a beautiful spring day filled with sakura leaves falling over the wedding party, and Tamaki on the piano playing her down the aisle. During the entire planning process, Ami kept asking what Kyoya wanted. But to him, it didn't matter. The only thing he ever wanted, was Amelie's happiness. So long as that was met, he couldn't care less about what else happened.

Nothing would go wrong today—

"Kyoya!"

Unless Tamaki returned early…

"I found all the items you requested in one!" Tamaki walked in with a blue cuff that was old and borrowed, "It's from Mr. Noble! He helped me look for it. We went all over the city to every antique shop! We'll have to return it after the wedding, but you just let your best man worry about that!" Tamaki removed one of Kyoya's expensive cuffs and placed the new one in it. "There! Perfection! Now nothing can go wrong on your most glorious and happiest day ever!" His eyes started to water and he turned away dramatically and wiped the tears away. "Oh Kyoya…I don't know what to say. It's like a father watching his daughter walk down the aisle and be given away to someone else!"

"Tamaki…please save your theatrics for the reception," said Kyoya, he smiled and handed his friend an extra handkerchief.

"How can you be so calm, Kyoya?! You're getting married! You're taking such a big step forward. You'll be a husband and soon a father! Do you know how much time you're going to spend between work and Amelie? Are you going to try for a baby on your honeymoon?! Can I be the God-father!? I better be the Godfather!"

Kyoya rubbed his temple as Tamaki went on and on and on about his future responsibilities and then somehow segued into talking about how he would treat Haruhi once they got married. There was a moment of brief relief when the door opened and Mori walked in with a gift for Kyoya.

"Thank you, Mori," Kyoya said, now completely ignoring Tamaki, "I'm glad you and Andie could make it. How was the honeymoon?"

Tamaki's mouth dropped open, "WHAT?!"

"Oh you didn't know?" Kyoya asked as he looked over his shoulder, "Mori and Andie eloped. I believe the honeymoon started in Paris and ended in Sweden, did it not, Senpai?"

"Yeah." Mori said, with a smile.

"Am I the last one to get married?!" Tamaki wailed.

"We're not married yet," said the twins as they walked in with Honey.

"Like you two would ever get married!" Tamaki snapped at them.

"I'll have you know we're close to proposing to Tara-Senpai!" the twins barked at him.

"You both can't marry her!" Tamaki yelled. "That's polygamy!"

"Tama-Chan, be nice!" Said Honey, "Today is about Kyo-Chan, not you."

Tamaki felt like an arrow had been shot through him. He began to rapidly explain that he had been the first to arrive and help Kyoya and was doing nothing but looking out for him on his grand day. The twins argued with him and Kyoya simply sat back and watched the madness unfold. He hadn't stopped smiling since Tamaki had arrived. He was happy. And despite what Tamaki thought, he wasn't afraid or nervous, or anything of the sort. Nothing was going wrong on his end. He wondered how Ami was doing…

xxxxx

"IT'S RUINED!"

Andie and Haruhi ran around the dressing room trying to find something to clean up the giant stain on Ami's dress. Ami sat in the middle of the floor, hugging her dress as if she had lost someone important to her.

"There's no way we can get the stain out by the time the wedding starts!" Ami cried, "We only have two hours!"

"There has to be a dry cleaner open on a sunday somewhere…" Andie said as she flipped through her phone. She hadn't been with Ami for more than a few minutes and already chaos was unfolding.

Tara sighed and left the room and Haruhi kneeled beside Ami and patted her on the head. "It'll be ok, Senpai. We'll figure something out."

"IT WON'T BE OK THIS WAS A $10,000 DRESS!" She roared. Her eyes were on fire like a demons. Then she started crying again, "I can't get married today! The dress is ruined! I can't walk down the aisle in a dress with a giant blue stain! Oh God! What if I dishonor Kyoya?! Is that a thing?! Does that still happen in Japan!? Will he have to fight his father in a duel to the death?!"

"Ok Senpai now you're just spewing out stereotypes…" Haruhi said with a big roll of her eyes.

"I'M BEING SERIOUS!"

Tara returned with a bottle of dish soap in hand and ripped the dress out of Ami's hands. She sat on the floor, poured a small amount of water on the stain and then added the detergent. Everyone watched her with baited breath…

Five minutes later, Tara picked up a shirt she had packed with her and dapped the stain. It was like a miracle happened! POOF! The stain was gone. Then she plugged in Ami's hair dryer and gently dried the area where the stain could barely be seen. Once the stain was dry, it was like nothing had even happened.

Ami hugged Tara tight and cried into her chest. "What would I do without you?"

"Not get married…" Tara answered. She kissed Ami on the head and then lifted her chin, "I'm your best friend, I figured you'd still be clumsy enough to spill something on you on your big day. I came prepared."

Andie and Haruhi collapsed on the ground and sighed with relief. "Do you think the guys are doing any better?" Andie asked.

Haruhi took out her phone and looked at the picture Tamaki had sent her of him and the rest of the guys. "I think they're doing alright…" she said.

xxxx

A few hours later…

The music played and everyone turned to watch behind them as the progression started. First came the maid of honor and the best man, Tara and Tamaki. Tamaki was already in tears when he saw Kyoya in his jet black suit and his lavender bow tie. Kyoyaa rolled his eyes and Tara pinched Tamaki so he'd stop making a scene. Next came the groomsmen and the bridesmaids: Andie and Mori, Haruhi and Kaoru, and Margo and Hikaru. When they arrived at the alter they took their places on the opposite side of each other. Everyone looked up at Kyoya who took a deep breath as the music changed and everyone stood to their feet. Tamaki coudn't stop smiling and he winked over at Haruhi who had tears in her eyes but was also smiling.

The flower girls appeared with white umbrellas to hold as a breeze — which Kyoya had paid a special effects company to come up with— started and the sakura flowers fell over everyone. It was like a scene straight from a movie. Once the flower girls had finished twirling their umbrellas, Kyoya held his breath as Amelie rounded the corner in her white, floral embroidered, lace gown. It was strapless and she had a gold wrap necklace on. Her hair was pinned up and she wore a beautiful lace veil that trailed behind her as she walked. Everyone clapped and cried, which made Ami tear up before she could even smile. She and Kyoya met eyes and they never took them off one another.

At the end of the walkway, Terrance stood up and took his daughter by the arm. He kissed her on both cheeks and then the head.

"I love you so much." He whispered to her. He was already crying and Ami wiped her father's tears away.

"I love you too, Daddy."

The priest called everyone's attention as he started the ceremony. Ami should have been paying attention when her father gave her away to Kyoya, but all she could think about was getting ready to say "I do" whenever she was prompted. She had been waiting seven years for this. Six years of college, then a year of Kyoya interning at her father's company. It had felt like forever. Her father thought they were too young, but in order to keep Kyoya's father satisfied, it had to be done as soon as possible. Not like either cared. They would have done it the day after Ami's wild proposal, when she did everything in her power to stop Kyoya from marrying another girl. Everything was meant to happen for a reason. Kyoya told her once that it was the most logical option and one that had zero negative outcomes. She knew deep behind those words what he meant to say, "I love you…"

Ami snapped out of her deep thoughts when she heard Kyoya whisper that to her. She was so overcome with joy, and happiness, and nearly every emotion in the book she threw herself into his arms and kissed him deep.

"I love you too!" she said with a grin. It was the first time she actually heard him say those three words.

"A little soon…" said the priest.

Ami blushed and backed away while everyone shared a laugh.

"I do, though!" Ami said, "Both as in, _I do_ and I do love him."

"Would you like to me to skip ahead?" asked the Priest.

"Yes!" said the crowd.

The priest adjusted his glasses and began to flip through his speech. "Well then…Do you Kyoya Ootori, take Amelie Elizabeth Marie Noble to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold? In sickness and in health? For better or for worse? Til death do you part?"

Kyoya's expression softened and he nodded, "I most certainly do."

Tamaki burst into very loud, deep, sobs.

"And do you, Amelie Elizabeth Marie Noble, take Kyoya Ootori to be—"

"Yes, yes, I do!"

The priest laughed. "May we have the rings?"

Honey stood up and came forward with the rings for Ami and Kyoya. Both had gold rings with beautiful designs in them. On the inside of Kyoya's ring was a pink rose, and the inside of Ami's was a lavender rose. They put the rings on each other's hands and stepped closer, knowing what the next part was.

"By the power invested in me, and in front of all your friends, family, and loved ones…I now pronounce you Mister and Misses Ootori. You may kiss the bride."

And kiss her he did! Kyoya dipped Ami and she wrapped her arms around his neck and cherished the moment. Everyone stood up and cheered and Tamaki ran to Haruhi and cried into her arms.

"It's ok Tamaki…" Haruhi said, "We're all happy for them. Let it out, Senpai."

"Tamaki's a cry baby!" The twins teased.

"SHUT UP! I'M EMOTIONAL!" Tamaki snapped at them.

"Knock it off, knuckleheads." Said Kyoya who hit Tamaki on the head. "We have a wedding to celebrate."

"I can't believe we're all getting married off already!" Tamaki cried. He hugged Kyoya and then whispered something into his ear.

"Amelie would kill you if you stole her spotlight today, Tamaki." said Kyoya, he smirked, "Though I'd love to see you try."

"I'd like to keep my life today, thank you." Said Tamaki. He grinned and then placed his hand into his pocket and felt the diamond ring sitting inside. "I'll find the perfect moment…"


	39. THE REUNION!

**Maybe You're My Love!**

THE REUNION!

Seven years later…

Tamaki bounced up and down by the front window as he awaited his friends' arrival. Haruhi was busy setting up the house and waddling back and forth from the kitchen. She was six months pregnant and just about ready to pop, and Tamaki wasn't making any of this set up easier for her. She honestly wasn't looking forward to taking care of two babies.

"Tamaki!" she pulled him by the cheek and led him to the dining room, "Can you at least try and help me get ready before anyone shows up?"

Tamaki pulled himself out of Haruhi's clutches and rubbed his cheek, "Sweetie! I already told you, we can have the staff take care of it—"

"Damn rich people…" Haruhi muttered.

"Haruhi don't say that!" Tamaki nuzzled her and she sighed. "You are a rich person now after all!"

After a few more minutes of struggling with Tamaki, Haruhi finally got the rest of the dining room set and ready for their friends. She sat down, rubbing her belly, and had a smile on her face. "It's been so long since we've really all been together, hasn't it?" she asked.

Tamaki stared out of the front window and nodded, "I wonder how much we've all changed."

"Sir, your first guests have arrived." said the head of staff and Tamaki's old caregiver, Shima.

Awaiting in the dining room, was Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tara!

Tamaki ran to his friends and embraced them in a hug while Haruhi slowly came in after him. The twins bowled over Tamaki and went to help Haruhi to a chair.

"Jeez boss, you're so inconsiderate," the twins said, "Letting your poor, super, hefty wife walk on her own."

"Who you calling hefty?" Haruhi growled at them.

"She wants to do everything on her own!" whined Tamaki.

The twins stuck their tongues out at him and then flashed him a genuine smile. Tamaki laughed and hugged them again, and then hugged Tara. "Tara! It's so good to see you. Have those no good Hitachiin's been treating you alright?"

"Who you calling, no-good, Milord?" asked the twins.

Kaoru wrapped his arm around Tara and grinned, "Tara's a Hitachiin now too, so you insult one of us, you insult all of us!"

They playfully punched Tamaki who was busy asking a thousand questions and then demanding why he wasn't invited to the wedding. He then sulked in the corner and started muttering about how no one liked him anymore and their family had fallen apart over the years…

"Congratulations, Senpai!" Haruhi had gotten up and hugged Tara, "I saw the pictures, Kaoru sent. Spain was a great choice!"

"YOU KNEW?!" Tamaki yelled from his depression.

"Of course I did, you just never asked about it. I could have sworn I mentioned it a few times…" Haruhi thought for a moment and blocked out more of Tamaki's rantings. She pinched his face to quiet him down, "Besides, it was a private ceremony. Family only."

"That's right," said Kaoru, "We wanted to keep it small. Mom, Dad, our little sis and Tara's family. Nothing too flashy…"

"Like a certain someone's wedding…" Hikaru whispered.

"I heard that you cretin!" Tamaki snapped at him.

"Sir…" came Shima's voice again, "Your next guests have arrived."

In walked—or more of ran—Honey! He and Tamaki embraced though it was hard since he had grown over the years. He definitely had a growth spirt and now that they were almost the same size, Honey and Tamaki looked like they could have been brothers.

"It's so good to see everyone again!" cheered Honey.

The twins were startled when Honey's wife, Reiko—of the Black Magic Club back in High School—suddenly appeared next to them. She wasn't dressed in all black like she used to, but her expression hadn't changed.

The twins hid behind Tara and greeted her, "Hi…Kanazuki…"

"It's Haninozuka," said Honey as he took Reiko's hand, "So call her Reiko, or Rei-Chan!"

Reiko tried to say, "Don't call me Rei-Chan—"

But the twins interrupted her by cheering her nickname and hugging her.

"Honey-Senpai, where's Mori?" asked Haruhi.

"Oh, he and the Misses are bringing in the food!" said Honey.

And right he was. Mori carried in several heavy looking boxes of food and behind him, telling him not to drop anything, was Andie! She walked in with their one year old daughter, Yumi who was dressed as a cupcake. Tara ran over to Andie but ignored her and picked up Yumi and nuzzled her.

"There's the most adorable cupcake in the world!" Tara cheered as she tossed the clapping baby up and down in the air.

"It's good to see you again too, Tara…" Andie said with a roll of her eyes.

"I see you all the time," Tara said, waving off Andie, "But this little button I only ever see once in a blue moon!"

"Oba-chan!" cheered Yumi.

"Why don't you and Kaoru have a baby, so mine can have a break from all the presents you two spoil her with?" Andie asked as she grabbed her daughter and set her down. Immediately, Yumi ran to the food table to help her father set up. She was incredibly strong and everyone's mouths dropped as she picked up a box on her own and followed Shima down the hall. She _definitely_ took after Mori.

"We're planning on adopting, first." Kaoru said, he placed his arm around Tara, "We're both too busy to worry about pregnancy and all the gross things it brings—" He shot a glance at Haruhi who was already eating and then she glared at him, "So we'll be on a search for the perfect heir!"

Honey looked around the room and counted everyone, "Huh…I thought Kyoya and Ami-Chan would be the first ones to arrive."

Tara looked over at Honey and raised an eyebrow, "You mean you didn't see them?" she asked. Everyone looked at her, "They've been in Japan for a few days now."

"What? Really?" asked Haruhi, "I wonder why they're late then…Ami-Senpai is never late to anything."

"My ears are burning! Someone must be talking about me!"

Everyone lit up as they heard Ami's voice coming from the hall. Tamaki pushed everyone aside and went to hug Ami but it found it hard to wrap his arms around her since she was pregnant!

"I'M GOING TO BE AN UNCLE!" Tamaki then jumped into Kyoya's arms and started gushing about baby names and how they were both going to be each other's Godfather to their child. Kyoya pushed Tamaki off and straightened his glasses. He then took Ami's hand and led her further into the meeting room.

"Yes, we're due sometime in November," Ami said as she hugged everyone individually. "Which means, Haruhi and I can raise our babies together!"

"You mean you'll be staying in Japan now?" asked Haruhi, "What about the company?"

Kyoya poured himself and Ami a drink and then leaned on Tamaki, "We'll be able to keep running the Noble company over seas. Mr. Noble would like to come out of retirement until the baby is older so we can focus our time on being dedicated parents."

"I feel like there's a catch…" Tamaki said as he waited for the rest of the news.

"No catch, we're going to raise him in Japan for a few years and then head back to California." Said Ami.

"Him?!" Tamaki was excited all over again, "Have you picked out a name?"

"Ryoji," said Kyoya, "And what about your little girl?"

"Oh obviously something, French!" Tamaki swooned, "But we haven't decided yet, have we Haruhi?"

Haruhi had disappeared and when everyone heard a scream they went running!

They found Haruhi in the kitchen, tears streaming down her face. She had a plate in her hand and was eating fancy tuna, for the **first time** in her life. And it was magical.

Kyoya and Ami stood in the back as everyone laughed about how Haruhi's palette was so unrefined. "Do you think we should tell them?" asked Ami.

"No, I think we can wait."

"Oh but it's such good news!" Ami turned to her husband and grinned, "I wish I could have taken a picture of their reactions."

Kyoya kissed her on the cheek, "I think we'll always remember their faces when I turned down being the family patriarch."


	40. Will Return in a Moment

Hello everyone!

Once again, I can't stop thanking you all for your kind words of support and your views :) If you have a fic you'd like me to read, please PM it to me. I like to read on this site when I have a day off from work!

Ami and Kyoya's story isn't over yet. I have two more chapters left of them learning how to adult with their kids and I'm sure it'll make you giggle. I'm currently taking a break from Ouran to focus on my other fic which is an Avenger's universe story. I'm totally team Ironman and so he'll be a big player in it as well as the comic book version of Doctor Strange.

But never fear, you'll get notified when I post a new chapter or omake here! And then I'll post those few short chapters of the Host Club Next Gen. It'll be fun to get to see everyone as adults and also to take a peak at all the hosts' kids.

It's been so fun writing Ami and exploring more of Kyoya. Ami is very near and dear to my heart and her journey through this series was actually really interesting. Fun fact, I was originally going to change it to have her end up with Mori until college, but felt like that'd be way too long of a story. My best friend and editor (Brittajj26) gave me a lot of suggestions of where to go with Ami and how best to change her. I appreciate every ounce of help I got from her! I think in the end, we can all sort of relate to Ami a bit. We all have pressure on us one way or another. When I was a kid, I felt that if I didn't get perfect grades or do something outstanding in school each week, I'd disappoint my mother, and that felt like the end of the world to me. If I did do something she didn't like, I was scolded to the point of tears. Our parents usually have the best intentions, but as I tell all of my students: The path you take in life is YOUR decision. Do what you want to do. Follow your dreams. Keep your passion alive. Because at the end of the day, it's what makes you, you.

Before I go:

If you haven't read the complete manga series, I highly suggest that you do. It's wonderful as was the anime. Bisco Hatori has an amazing sense of humor and the chapters where she writes about her thought process are humbling and endearing. Please keep supporting her by purchasing the mangas or the firsts season of Ouran High School Host Club.

With love, admiration, and respect,

Amazon.


	41. Omake: Pregnancy

Omake #15

Pregnancy

Six months into her pregnancy and Ami couldn't have been unhappier. Kyoya had hired an entire staff of nurses and mid-wives to look after her. She couldn't go down the stairs alone, she couldn't go to the bathroom without someone asking her how she was doing, and even worse she couldn't eat whatever she wanted to eat. She had a craving for chocolate dipped, golden Oreos, with honey but instead was given an organic sweet potato which she promptly threw out the door.

"Honey…" she hid inside a cupboard and spoke quietly into the phone, "I need you to do me a favor…"

* * *

Hours later…

Ami managed to trick her watchers into thinking she was taking a nap and then snuck out the back of the estate. Honey was waiting for her by the garage in a black hoodie with a box next to him. She grinned as she walked over to him and gave him a hug.

"Thank you so much! With Ami and Mori still in America, I can't get my fix! Kyoya has eyes everywhere!"

"I know how it feels," Honey said as he handed her the box, "When I had a cavity, Takashi banned anyone from giving me sweets!"

"That's terrible!" Ami opened the box and then took a bite of the cake inside. After a few chews she spit it out. "CARROT CAKE!"

"Amelie…"

A shadow fell over Ami and Honey and both turned around to look up at Kyoya who smiled evilly down at them. "I'm sorry, Ami he made me!" Honey turned and ran.

"Kyoya…" she growled.

"Amelie, as your husband and father to healthy boy growing inside of you, it's my duty to make sure you're healthy through the entire pregnancy. We have three months left until he comes into this world. And then you can eat whatever you want. Within reason."

"Within reason?" She crossed her arms and rested them on her stomach.

"You'll be breastfeeding of course, and what you eat the baby eats." Kyoya took Ami gently by the arm and led her back to the estate.

"I hate you."

"I know you don't." Kyoya said and he kissed her on the cheek.

* * *

Ami had tried every avenue she could to get sweets snuck into the home for her. At one point she called Andie who only confirmed Ami's suspicions. Kyoya had paid for her and Mori to take a real honeymoon, thus eliminating any chances of Ami getting sweets made for her. How could she survive three more months of this? Her mother was of no help at all. In fact _she_ was the one who suggested to Kyoya that they put Ami on a strict diet.

"Your mother and Kyoya have eyes and ears everywhere, sweetie. I'm afraid, Daddy can't do much about that." said Terrance who frowned at his miserable looking daughter.

"I have no father..."

Terrance panicked, "What!? Don't say that! DADDY LOVES YOU!"

Ami hung up. She had one last option which she hoped Kyoya hadn't thought of...

"Tamaki!" She whined into her phone, "He won't let me do anything!"

"There's nothing I can do, Ami! You know Kyoya as well as I do. But at least he'll listen to you…unlike a certain SOMEONE!" Ami could almost feel Tamaki's spite through the phone but even worse she could feel Haruhi's glare.

"Maybe he'll forget about me when Haruhi has little Anne-Sophia." Ami sighed.

"Haruhi doesn't like that name."

"You should at least get to help name the baby!"

"I know! That's what I said!" Tamaki paused for a moment and Ami nearly spoke up to see if he was still there, "Ok…I think I have a way to get you something…"

Hours later…

* * *

Ami waddled out of the Ootori estate on the arm of Tamaki who waved off Kyoya as he attempted to follow them.

"It's just us girls today!" Tamaki said with a wink, "Don't worry Kyoya, I have every single detail of your diet plan in my email. I'll follow it to a T. You and Haruhi have fun planning nursery colors."

Ami blew a kiss to Kyoya who knew for a fact Tamaki had been manipulated by his wife. He looked over at one of the security staff and nodded and they knew what to do.

"He's gonna have us followed isn't he?" Tamaki asked through his smile.

"Oh he's totally gonna have us followed." Ami said.

They got in their car and were driven all the way into Osaka. There they entered into a fancy restaurant and sat down together. From the outside, the security staff saw that the food was perfectly normal. A chicken pot pie for Ami and a small bowl of fruit. What they didn't know, was this was the secretly famous Japanese restaurant that made sweets look exactly like normal food. Ami actually had a chocolate fondu in front of her and dipped her fruit inside and hummed a sweet song to herself as she ate. She felt movement in her tummy and grinned.

"I think little Ryoji is happy!" She said, "He hasn't moved this much in a while."

"Mommy knows best, doesn't she?" asked Tamaki to Ami's belly, "You should thank you're uncle Tama-chan!" He then looked at Ami, "This place is very popular amongst commoners. I read about it online."

"No doubt Kyoya will look it up and come charging here within the hour." Said Ami.

"Then we should eat up and go to our next destination on our food tour!" cheered Tamaki. "Let there be no rest for the wicked!"

They clinked their glasses together, chugged their drinks, and then quickly left the restaurant and jumped into their awaiting car and drove. Moments later a black car was trailing behind them.

"Tamaki is such an idiot…" Kyoya sighed as he flipped through his phone. Haruhi leaned over his shoulder to see what he was looking at. It was photos of the ultrasound and she smiled and then averted her eyes as Kyoya shut the phone. "What?" he asked.

"You're so overprotective sometimes," Haruhi said with a smile, she placed a hand on her belly. "You know Tamaki wouldn't let a thing happen to her. Besides you're keeping Ami cooped up like a prisoner."

"I'm only looking out for her and the baby's best interests." Kyoya defended himself.

"Only the mother knows best!" Said Haruhi and then she punched Kyoya in the arm. "If something is wrong, she'll know. But let her do this. It's our first time being parents. It's a learning process. Do this _with_ Ami-Senpai, not _for_ her."

Kyoya looked out of the window the rest of the ride. He and Haruhi watched their significant others from the shadows. Tamaki was doing his best to make Ami laugh and when she laughed too hard she grabbed her stomach and bent over. Kyoya tried to rush over to her, but Haruhi held him back and Tamaki helped her stand back up. Ami was crying from laughing too hard and had to catch her breath. Kyoya hadn't seen her laugh like that in a long time. She was glowing. Maybe Haruhi was right…

* * *

At the end of the day, a full Ami waddled back to the Ootori estate and called out for her husband. Kyoya was in the main kitchen and was hit with the sweet smell of cinnamon. As she entered she saw Kyoya in a chef's hat, her pink apron, and covered in flour. Ami bursted with laughter and had to hold onto the counter so she could keep standing. Kyoya happily waited for her to finish.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, my dear. You won't see it again."

"NO!" She wiped away her tears and went over to Kyoya and kissed him on the cheek, "This is so perfect! I have to get a picture."

"No pictures. This is for your memories only." He put on her fluffy chicken oven mits and removed the snickerdoodle cookies he had baked. Ami's eyes lit up, "It's Andie's recipe, so it won't be as perfect as she could make it. Actually she threatened me to burn the notes I wrote down, because it was a secret family recipe." He smirked and then turned on a fan to cool them faster. "I suppose…I can be a little less lenient on your sugar intake. I'd like to offer an alternative. You can get whatever you want—in moderation—as long as we cook it, together. And by doing so, I'll do whatever I can to make you laugh just like you did before." He pulled Ami closer and kissed her on the forehead. "Because I never want to go a day without that laugh."

"Oh Kyoya!" Ami hugged him and her eyes were tearing up. She buried her head in his chest and he smiled, satisfied with her answer. After a moment, Ami looked up at him…but with an evil smile. She raised her phone and showed him a picture that he had thought would never resurface. "Will you dress up like this for me?" He tried to snatch the phone but somehow Ami was too fast, even with that giant round belly of hers.

"Where did you get that?!" he snapped.

"Tamaki sent it to me!" She laughed and tried to run out of the kitchen and Kyoya gave chase.

"Delete it this instant, Amelie!"

"Oooh we're using full names! Never Kyoya Ootori!"

"Damn you Tamaki…" Kyoya growled. It was a photo that he had somehow snapped when all the hosts—except for Mori—dressed as girls to try and convince Haruhi to stay in the host club. Kyoya only did it because he thought no one else would ever see him like that.

"I want a cake! Every day or else!" Ami called from up on the second floor.

"You're blackmailing me?!" Kyoya ran up the stairs and wrapped his arms around Ami who was still cackling. He snatched the phone from her hand and deleted it and then went into all of her files, apps, and storage hideouts to delete it as well.

"I already backed it up," Ami said and then she stuck out her tongue. "And you'll never find it!"

"Found it…" Kyoya said as he clicked through her phone. Ami was then the one fighting him for her phone back. Kyoya's finger hovered over the delete button. "I'll let you keep one and only one copy of this. For only you. And it'll be password locked. And I'll make Tamaki delete the others as well."

"You're no fun!" Ami said, but she giggled so she wasn't too serious.

"I beg to differ." He stole a kiss and then walked down the hall to their bedroom.

Ami watched him and grinned, "I don't think so Mister! That's how we ended up with this!" She pointed to her belly, "You devil!"

"Get in the bedroom, dummy." He called to her, "I'll draw you a bath. And then _maybe_ bring you a cookie or two."

Ami cheered and then ran to the bedroom. Kyoya rolled his eyes. "You're a nuisance."

"That's why you married me! Otherwise you'd be bored out of your mind."

Kyoya nodded in agreement and then shut the bedroom door.


	42. Omake: Kyoya and Son

**Kyoya and Son**

This summer, Kyoya and Ami had decided to spend their time in Japan. Now that their son was a little older, they thought it'd be good for him to get to know some of the other Host kids. Unfortunately... Ami had to stay behind and help her father with setting up a new office in one of his spas.

So it was Kyoya and little four year old Ryoji on their way to the Ootori estate. It was both Kyoya and Ryoji's first time without Ami. As Ryoji curled up in his seat to sleep on the plane, Kyoya realized that he had never really spent alone time with his son. At least not since he was a baby. Even then it was difficult. The boy was glued to Ami's hip. He followed her everywhere, cooked with her, played with her, even took naps with her and next to her. This would be an interesting development.

The plane ride was…uneventful. Ryoji flipped through his tablet to read the books his mother had placed on it, and not once did he ask Kyoya for anything. The stewardess' fawned over the child who was more than happy to flash them a smile and ask for some water or a snack. He purposely said the wrong words in Japanese. The boy could speak well enough to get his point across. More often than not, he'd speak to Ami in English and if she wasn't paying attention he'd switch to Japanese…very loud, Japanese. Kyoya wondered if every child manipulated their parents at a young age or if it was just Ryoji.

After a thirteen hour flight, Kyoya and Ryoji stepped off the plane in Osaka, grabbed their bags, and got into the private car that was waiting for them.

"Are we going to Grandfather's?" Ryoji asked, he stared glumly out of the window.

"It's our estate now," said Kyoya as he sent a text to Ami, letting her know they landed, "Your grandfather and Uncles have moved elsewhere. It will be us and the staff."

"Will Momma come soon?"

"She's staying in America," Kyoya said, he could see Ryoji's body depress, "But we can call her when we get settled in."

The next morning, Kyoya could barely keep up with Ryoji as he dashed from the bathroom to his bedroom to the kitchen. He was still following the routine Kyoya had made for him and he was rushing through it so they could call Ami. After Ryoji inhaled his food, he waited in the den while Kyoya slowly caught up and then opened his computer. A pajama clad Ami grinned as she answered the call.

"My handsome men!"

"Hi Momma!" Ryoji was grinning from ear to ear and Kyoya noticed their son shared Ami's smile. "We had a long plane ride."

"Oh I bet. Are your arms tired?"

"No!" Ryoji giggled and then settled in to explain to his mother that he didn't actually fly because that would be impossible.

Most of the call was Ryoji talking about everything he didn't say to Kyoya. He was hesitant to meet the other children since he didn't remember any of them except for Anne-Sophia and the baby cousins (the Hitachiin children). He didn't like how big Ouran felt, and he preferred staying in Osaka or Tokyo, than in such a small town. He hated sushi, he didn't like rice, and even more so he didn't like how everything felt flat. Kyoya had learned more about Ryoji in the half hour conversation than he had in the four years of his son's life.

"You'll grow into it, sweetie. Japan is a big part of your life. You don't have to love everything but you should learn to appreciate and respect it."

"Ok…" Ryoji sighed.

"I want you to do me a favor," Ami started, Ryoji perked up and listened attentively, "Since I'm not there, I want you to take as many pictures of sakura trees as you can. I want to see all of their beauty!"

"I can do that!" said Ryoji. He hopped off his chair and ran out of the room to find his camera.

Kyoya smirked and then pushed up his glasses. "There's nothing he wouldn't do for you."

"Well I did kind of give birth to him," Ami said and then stuck her tongue out. Kyoya smiled and pulled the camera toward him. "You should try your best to talk to him, Kyo."

"I try, he doesn't want to open up to me." Kyoya shrugged.

"It's because he's exactly like you. Think of it like how Tamaki got you to open up. And then also how I cracked that shell of yours! Ryoji is half of both of us! You'll figure out a way."

"Whatever my Queen wants, she will get," Kyoya said. Ami blew him a kiss. "Get to sleep and we'll chat before Ryo goes to bed tonight."

"Ok, I love you!"

"And I you, my dear."

Kyoya shut the computer and let his hand linger on it for a moment. It'd been wonderful to hear her voice and it was only a day since they had left. How strange it was to spend time away from her, he thought. He saw her every day and often went on business trips but always came back after a few days. This time it'd be months.

"I want to go to the park…"

Kyoya looked over his shoulder and saw Ryoji had tried to put his boots on, but failed to put them on the correct feet. Kyoya motioned for him to come closer and as if out of instinct, Ryoji climbed into lap and let his feet hang over Kyoya's legs. It was…odd…Kyoya reached down and corrected the shoes and patted Ryoji on the head. Ryoji looked up with his big—silvery-purple eyes—the same ones Kyoya had—and just stared up at his father. What was he expecting?

"How about we invite Anne-Sophia, hmm?" Kyoya asked, he picked up Ryoji and set him on the ground. Ryoji nodded and then walked away.

A kiss…

Ami always kissed Ryoji on the head and the cheek after she fixed his clothes or hugged him, or had any interaction with him. Damn. This would be harder than Kyoya thought.

* * *

"RYOJI!"

Tamaki tossed his god-son up and down in the air over and over and swung him around and Ryoji laughed and clapped his hands as Tamaki nuzzled him.

"Look at how handsome he's grown! Why I bet he'll have all the young ladies running after him!"

"Tamaki, please set my son down and let him actually play with the other children."

Tamaki frowned and tucked Ryoji under his arm protectively, "I haven't seen my god-son in over a year, Kyoya! Let him bond with his Uncle Tama-chan!"

Haruhi, who was—yet again—pregnant, waddled over to Tamaki and slipped Ryoji out of his grasp. She set him down, patted him on the head, and let him run off to the playground with Sophie.

"Thank you, Haruhi." Said Kyoya, he scanned her and smiled, "Looks like you're doing well, all things considered…" He glared at Tamaki who started ranting about his ability to take care of his wife and children.

"No, Ami this year?" Haruhi asked, "Too bad, it would have been fun too…" She stopped mid-sentence and then changed the subject, "Well anyway, I'm sure Ryoji is adjusting alright without her."

"Yes…" said Kyoya, "Adjusting is a sufficient word to use."

"What's wrong?" Tamaki asked, once he had finished his tantrum.

"I'm finding it…difficult to bond with him. He's much closer to Ami than to me."

"Oh that'll happen!" Tamaki said, he placed an arm over Kyoya's shoulder and then pointed over to their children, "Sophie is every bit of Haruhi she can be. But she still loves her daddy! It's the small things they do. Like for instance, Sophie wouldn't dare ask Haruhi for help to get dressed!" Haruhi glared at Tamaki, "But she'll never ask me to make her lunch…even though I think I'd do a good job…" He muttered the last bit but looked reassuringly at Kyoya.

Crying interrupted their conversation and all three parents looked over to see that Sophie was on the ground in front of a slide and an older boy stood at the top with his arms crossed. Tamaki ran over to his daughter in a heart beat and scooped her up in his arms.

"WHO HURT MY PRINCESS!" He yelled angrily at the other children.

"She started it!" the boy on the slide yelled.

Kyoya strolled over and stood next to Ryoji as a large man approached Tamaki and glared at him, "Your little brat skipped her turn on the slide!" He barked at Tamaki. Tamaki set Sophie down and stepped in front of her.

"I'll advise you to watch what you say about my daughter," said Tamaki.

Kyoya needed a quick way to defuse the tension. Ryoji held his father's hand and walked with him as he approached the situation.

"Pardon my interruption…" Kyoya slid in between the men and looked at the angry father, "I do say it's difficult for commoners to recognize people of importance. Forgive him Tamaki. You hide yourself in the Suoh family offices so often, it'd be hard for anyone to recognize you."

"S-Suoh?" the father asked. A crowd gathered and everyone started whispering about Tamaki and his lawyer wife.

Kyoya knelt down to Sophie and sat her on his knee while he inspected her injury, "We'll have to take her to one of my families nearby clinics. She'll have to get a tetnus shot and some stitches. This might even leave a scar." He pushed up his glasses and smiled gently at everyone, "It's a good thing the Ootari hospitals have mastered dermatology. We'll have it cleared up in no time."

"Ootari?! The father backed away toward the slide and stared in shock at Tamaki and Kyoya. "It—It was an accident! I'm sure my son meant no harm in it. Apologize, Kanji!"

"NO!" the child growled. "She cut 'cuz that hafu let her!"

"Don't call him that!" Sophie yelled through her tears. Haruhi hugged her close.

The father picked up his son and bowed over and over to the family, "He's such a brat sometimes, really. Please forgive us, Mr. Suoh!"

Tamaki looked over at Kyoya who smirked and Tamaki nodded, "This time, you'll be spared. But I expect your son to learn some manners the next time we visit this park. He needs to be a gentleman and treat all ladies with respect. Next time…I won't be so lenient."

"Mr. Ootari, I swear my son didn't mean what he said about your boy—"

Kyoya held up a hand and placed his arm around Ryoji, "Go on your way."

He left and as soon as he did, Kyoya, Tamaki, Haruhi and their children left as well.

* * *

Ryoji sat in his seat and kept his eyes on the trees as they drove. They had been driving for a long time and his father was typing something on his computer.

"What's a hafu?" Ryoji asked.

"It means mixed race," said Kyoya, still looking at his computer, "Half Japanese and half something else."

"Is that bad?"

Kyoya's had froze mid-typing. He slowly shut his computer and pushed his glasses up. The car slowed down and he smiled. "We're here."

Ryoji rolled the window down and saw a forest of sakura trees. His smiled spread slowly over his lips like a sun rising and he hopped out of the car with his camera in tow. Kyoya got out motioned to the driver to keep driving. He'd call when they were ready to go home. Ryoji was lost behind the lens of his camera and snapped a photo of nearly every tree he passed. Kyoya stood behind him and shook the branches of a low hanging tree and let the flower petals fall. Ryoji lowered his camera and turned around.

"What color are the petals, Ryoji?"

He bent down to pick up a handful and rolled them over his hands a few times before answering, "White and pink…and blue…"

"I think it's a bit more lavender don't you think?" asked Kyoya as he plucked a flower and held it in his hand. Ryoji stepped closer to look at it. "You see separately, the petals are just petals…nothing more, nothing less. But when the pink and the lavender come together, and they swirl around each other, they have these beautiful white petals in the center. Together they make a flower." Ryoji dropped the petals in his hand and gently picked up the flower and stared at it, "Your mother and I came together so we could have you. Without you, we're just a husband and wife. But with you…we're a family. A whole flower."

Kyoya kissed his son on the head and picked him up his arms, "So no…being hafu isn't bad."

In the early morning, Ami received a photo of Ryoji and Kyoya in a sakura tree forest and she happily printed the picture to have it framed. After she did her business for the day, she sat down at her computer and took a picture of the surprise waiting for Kyoya and Ryoji. She hoped both were ready for another member of the family.


	43. Update!

Hello my beautiful readers!

I finally have time off of work to get back to this wonderful Otaku world! Your reviews and follows have given me smiles throughout all the tough times I've been having. So I've decided, even if I'm super tired, I'll get back to posting a new chapter every week!

As promised before, we're going to move into the next generation! Which means we get to see all of the Host Kids as teens. These chapters will take place in Japan and will follow Kyoya and Ami's oldest son, Ryoji as he tries to figure out what he wants to do for the rest of his life and deal with a family issue he doesn't want to talk about.

Much love and thanks,

Amazon 3


	44. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love Chapter 1

**Kiss Kiss Fall In Love!**

Chapter One: The Host Club - Take 3!

 **Prologue:**

Today was New Year's Eve…American New Years. And instead of spending it in New York City as my parents had promised me, we were stuck on the Suoh estate, celebrating with fireworks, sparklers, and champaign for the adults. The rest of the kids were subjected to sparkling cider or watered down sake. Today we were supposed to be celebrating our first year in high school, and as usual, all of us put on a fake smile to assure our parents that we were thrilled to be continuing school with one another.

"Ryoji…" I turned to see my father motioning to me. I walked over to him and bowed to show my respect. We both adjusted our glasses at the same time. He had something serious to tell me, normally he only called me son. "How are you feeling about starting high school at Ouran?"

Was he joking? I shrugged but he raised an eyebrow which was his way of telling me that he didn't believe me. I sighed, "Well honestly, I'd rather stay in New York. I don't understand why mother has to receive her treatments here. There are plenty of qualified doctors back home."

My father raised his head which was his way of putting me in my place. I muttered an apology under my breath and he rubbed his temple. I know we had talked about this over and over but I just didn't like Japan. "It's for the best, son. She can't travel right now, but we're flying in the best people we have. Besides, we can always fly out your friends to visit."

"Yeah, I guess…"

"Your brother doesn't seem to have any qualms with this arrangement."

I looked over my shoulder at Tobias who was showing off to the girls again. Spewing his knowledge of American traditions and what not. "That's because Toby likes to kiss up to you and doesn't have an opinion of his own."

Thankfully my father laughed, because had it been mother she would have slapped me in the back of my head. She hated that I was so cruel to Toby, but honestly, I was right. Whatever mother and father wanted, Toby gave them.

"If this were an arrangement," I started, he seemed interested, Dad was always one for a good debate, "Then Toby and I would have had a choice in the matter. How do you expect me to become a better business man if you don't allow me to make any decisions?"

"An interesting development…" he smiled down at me, "Ryoji if you can prove to me that you can maturely handle these next few months in Japan, I'll consider bringing it up to your mother when she's in better health."

"Consider?"

"That's the best I can offer you."

"There's always another option."

"Indeed, but not always the best one."

Before I could argue anymore, Dad raised his hand and shooed me along.

"We'll talk more about this later, go and mingle with your friends." He patted me on the back and I put on my most convincing smile and went to greet everyone.

The Haninozuka's were, as usual, mostly cheerful. Mitsukuni and Reiko were sharing sweets while their children, Soma and Rika, who were investigating the fireworks. Soma was a year younger then me but was supposedly already the president of Ouran's Black Magic club. He was every bit his mother with his father's looks. Rika was the talented fighter and was aiming to be the president of the karate club just like her father and her uncle. Conversations with them mostly ended up about Japanese traditions in curses and fighting. So that was a hard pass.

Yumi-Senpai, the daughter of Takashi and Andie Morinozuka was one year older than me. A high school second year. She didn't say much, but was close to her cousins, especially to Soma. She was a brilliant cook and planned to attend culinary school once she graduated. Conversations with her would be brief. Another pass.

I could see the Hitachiin cousins stealing fireworks and most likely off to destroy something Haruhi would kill them over. Sora was adopted, though she did uncannily resemble Tara with her freckles and brown hair. Sasuke was the one who my parents talked about when they thought I wasn't around. My mother said that Tara's sister had an affair with Hikaru which ended with Sasuke, and Tara's sister disappearing. Sasuke never spoke about his mother, but he didn't mind spending all of his time with Hikaru. Like father, like son, they were both into fashion. I got along with the cousins best, but they seemed busy, so perhaps another time.

Ah, and last, but certainly not least, the beautiful Anne-Sophia. Or Sophie as she preferred. The dark haired, blue eyed, beauty of Tamaki and Haruhi. She was a sarcastic, food addict, with no enthusiasm for most things in life, and she was easily insulted, which was fun for me. My father said she was every bit as Haruhi as she could be, and that Tamaki tried to treat her like a princess but she refused. She had a commoner's attitude. She had a younger sister, Cheiko, who had bright hair like her father's and every bit as cheerful as he was. I wondered if that's how it was supposed to be in most families. If you were supposed to take after one of your parents?

Toby and I were very much a mixture of our parents in some personality traits, but for the most part, we were our own men.

I looked around the backyard one more time and decided to pick the lesser of all of these evils. I walked over to Sophie who was staring into the Koi pond. "Good evening, Miss Suoh."

She looked up as if she had just noticed where she was for the first time, "Oh…hi, Ootori. What's up?"

"My father said I had to come talk to someone, so I decided it'd be you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she glared at me, I loved getting a reaction from her.

"I heard a rumor you were thinking of going to a public school."

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but my father is convinced I should follow tradition and stay in Ouran." She studied me for a moment, "I'm sorry to hear about your mother's health."

"It's fine. I'm sure things will work out."

"We all know you wanted to stay in America."

"I made it no secret."

"You sure are a pain in the neck." She tossed her long hair over her shoulder, "You're always so cold, Ootori. I'm trying to be friends with you."

"I'm cold?" I couldn't help but laugh, "Look whose talking, Miss Stoic blank eyes. How many boys have confessed their love to you and you just completely ignored them?"

She blinked, as if processing this, "What?"

She was hopeless, "You're hopeless," I bopped her on the head, "I guess having me around will help you see a little more clearly."

She smiled, we never fought for long, "You're going to be the worst thing to happen to Ouran!"

* * *

The day before school…

Ami and Ryoji danced together in time to the music as they swayed around the ball room. Ryoji was busy watching his feet, but his mother kept lifting his chin.

"Stay focused, Ryoji. Trust that your feet will follow."

He smiled at her, "I would if you would stop leading me, Mother. I am the male, after all."

"Whoops!" Ami laughed and then switched her arm positions, "I'm sorry, dear. I just get carried away."

Ryoji spun his mother and brought her back to him and he laughed, "I know!"

She stopped for a moment to lean against the wall and catch her breath. Ryoji took his mother's arm, "Perhaps this is too much for you right now…I can ask one of the staff to help me practice."

Ami waved his help away and gathered herself together. "Nonsense! There's no one better suited to teach you then I am. After all, Ouran hosts almost as many balls as we had at Bizu…almost." She looked over Ryoji's shoulder at Kyoya who entered the room and smiled as they danced together. "Isn't that right, Kyoya-darling?"

"Of course, my dear." He said.

"How do I look, Dad?" Ryoji asked, he was in his dance shoes and a buttoned jacket that was in the process of being tailored.

"Like a work in progress."

"Cheeky…" muttered Ami.

"Ami, take a break. I need to speak with our son for a moment."

Ami motioned to the piano player to stop and then kissed her son on the cheek. "Behave you two." She said.

"Don't we always?" asked Father and Son.

The two walked away and Ami was about to leave when she heard a smash behind her. She sighed and turned around to see the newest member of their staff, Mikoto, with a pile of broken plates around her feet.

"I'm so sorry, Mistress Ootori!" Mikoto started scrambling to find something to clean up the mess. "I—I was trying to be careful!"

"It's alright, Mikoto…" said Ami, the frustration clear on her voice. "We'll have someone else to clean it up. I don't want you cutting those pretty hands of yours." She took Mikoto's hands and smiled at her and Mikoto blushed. "I think we'll have some etiquette lessons for you." Ami walked ahead and grabbed a book on the bookshelf on her way. The largest, book, she could get. "I'll teach you how to walk like a lady. You won't get anywhere on your first day at Ouran, if you can't walk straight, silly girl."

Outside Kyoya and Ryoji walked the Ootori estate together. It was far out from the city, though he could see some buildings in the distance. They were secluded, and though the silence and fresh air was nice, Ryoji missed the noise and business of New York.

"Ryoji, I don't think I have to remind you how important it is to keep up appearances at school," Started Kyoya. Ryoji sighed, he knew this was talk was coming, "And I know you knew this was coming, but for the sake of our family name…try and be nice."

"What?" asked Ryoji, "I am nice!" Kyoya raised an eyebrow at him, "Ok, so I might be a little snide…and sarcastic…and blunt…but honestly, if they can't take it, then they're not very strong willed people."

Kyoya shook his head, "You're exactly like your mother."

"Funny, she said the same thing but that I'm just like you."

"At the very least…" Kyoya had to think about the rest of his sentence, "Be kind. The only friends you'll have now are our family friends. Do something to stand out, but do it because _you_ want to."

* * *

The next day, Ryoji and Toby arrived to the front gates of Ouran High School. They were in fresh uniforms, pressed, and steamed to the exact straightness the uniforms had to be. Both young men looked great in their uniforms and Ryoji confidently fixed his tie and walked forward with one hand in his pocket, the other throwing his school bag over his shoulder. Toby followed his lead.

"Where are you going?" Ryoji asked him, "The middle school is that way."

"Oh!" Toby turned on his heel and then mimicked his brother's posture on his way to middle school. He stopped before he walked through the gates and looked back at Ryoji. There was a hint of nervousness in his eyes. Ryoji pushed up his glasses and smiled at him, and Toby nodded then went on his way.

The school was massive, as Ryoji had expected it to be. He was impressed by all the thought that went into the architecture and decor. He stopped to admire the chandelier in the main hall. It was made with pure white crystals. His mother would love this.

"That's the new boy…from America…"

He looked to his left to see a group of girls chattering about him.

"Oh right! He's the son of Kyoya Ootori and his American mistress…"

Mistress? So there were already rumors about him.

"That's why his skin is so dark…it makes him quite handsome don't you think?"

Ryoji flipped the black hair out of his face and walked over to the group of girls. They each panicked and turned a deep shade of red as he approached them and bowed.

"Konnichi wa," he greeted them, to let them know he was fluent in Japanese he kept speaking it, "My name is Ryoji Ootori, first son of Kyoya and Amelie Ootori-Noble, of the Noble Entertainment Empire in America." Their eyes went wide, he'd set these rumors straight one gossiping group of harlets at a time. By the end of the week, everyone would know who he was. "I'm afraid I'm quite lost. Could either of you direct me to the attendants office?"

"Huh?" asked the girls.

"Oh! That's right…I meant the president." He gave them his most charming smile, "It really is embarrassing…being half Japanese and rusty at most of the language."

"That smile…" whispered one girl.

"SO REFRESHING!" squealed the other two.

"I'll show you there!"

Ryoji was taken by the hand by a blonde girl with big brown eyes. She smiled at him and pulled him away from the group of girls who were now sad to see him go. "I'm Chiaki Nomura, by the way," she gave him the peace sign as they ascended the staircase, "But you can call me Kiki if you want!"

"Um…my name is Ryoji Ootori. Nice to meet you, Nomura."

The made it to the main office and Kiki twirled in her yellow dress and winked at Ryoji before wishing him a good first day of school. Ryoji watched her as she skipped away. "What a strange girl…"

* * *

The rest of the school day went at Ryoji expected. More whispers. More gossip. More annoyances. He wasn't the first hafu to come to Ouran but he was the darkest. However, his constant smiles and kind demeanor quickly gave him the nick name of _The Dark Prince_. Whether literal, or metaphorical, he had no idea. But at least he was being spoken about. His mother always said that was the most important thing at the end of the day. Get them talking, and they'll never stop.

But even still, enough was enough, and Ryoji wandered the halls until he came across an abandoned music room. He sighed with relief when he heard the echo of the door shutting. Solace and peace at last. He walked around the room, inspecting everything that was covered. The windows were shut but some light still managed to creep through the shades. This room was massive. There were couches, tables, a backroom that looked like at some point it was used quite a lot. Even some animal cages…odd…

"I see you've found the Host Club!"

Ryoji jumped when he heard the voice from behind him, but calmed down when he saw that girl, Chiaki rounding the corner. He bowed in apology, "I'm sorry Nomura, I thought this room was empty."

"Nope, just me!" Chiaki said cheerfully. She then stared at Ryoji for a long time and nodded, as if finally coming up with a decision, "Can you help me with this?" She turned and pointed to the zipper of her uniform. "I have to change, I got this dirty."

"Of course," said Ryoji. He unzipped her dress but before he could walk away, Chiaki had pulled the entire thing off. Ryoji panicked and looked away as quickly as he could.

"Don't be a weirdo!" Chiaki laughed, she stood there in her bra and underwear and then reached up and removed her hair, "I'm a boy silly!" Ryoji's jaw dropped as he watched Chiaki remove the bra and then stretch. "I switch on and off every day. I really do like the freedom I get in the dress, but when you spill something on it you can't wipe it off like you can the boys' uniform."

Chiaki then picked up his school bag and changed into the Ouran Boys uniform. He had short brown hair that was spiky and was much darker as he wiped away the makeup on his face, and he was also attractive as a young man…Ryoji was still in shock. He was such a passable girl!

"Hey…" Chiaki looked at him seriously, then winked, "No falling in love with me!"

"What?!" Ryoji snapped out of his shock at glared at Chiaki, "That's ridiculous, you're ridiculous!"

"I've had fifteen confessions of love since last year," Chiaki said as he finished dressing, "As both Chiaki and Kiki! If I were you, I'd heavily consider hiring me."

Ryoji's rage flew away and then he was curious, "Hiring you for what?"

Chiaki scoffed, "Are you serious? The son of the co-founder, of the famous Ouran High School Host Club, stumbles across the infamous abandoned music room 3 by accident? Really?"

"Host club…" Ryoji thought and then remembered his parents briefly talking about that, "Oh, right. That thing."

" _That thing_?!" Chiaki grabbed Ryoji by the shoulders and turned him around to view the room, "This is where everything started! This was the life of Ouran! Your dad wasn't just a host, he was a hero! All of the hosts were! They dedicated their time to helping those in need, male or female! Rich or commoner! They're a legend!"

"I've heard all the stories," Ryoji said, pushing Chiaki's hands off of him, "and though as hard to believe as many of them sound, I don't care about it. That was my dad…not me. Now if you'll excuse me."

Ryoji straightened his jacket, pushed up his glasses, and walked on. Chiaki couldn't believe what he was hearing. "This could be the way to stand out, you know. To make everyone stop whispering about you. You'd be the most respected man at Ouran…"

Ryoji paused mid-step, thought about what Chiaki said, and then left the room.

* * *

Out in the courtyard, Ryoji ran into the Hitachiin cousins were sitting by the fountain and eating their lunch together. They waved him over and Ryoji took a seat next to them.

"Well if it isn't the Dark Prince!" they snickered together.

"Ugh, please don't…" said Ryoji as he took out his bento box. "It's been a few hours and I'm already sick of this place."

"What?" asked Sasuke, "You're the most talked about person here. Why I think just ten minutes ago I heard people say you were the heir to not one, not two, but actually three fortunes!"

"I heard he's actually the adopted son of an African prince, and Lord Ootori took him in so his wife could have the fulfillment of raising a child." said Sora.

"Isn't it exciting?" asked the cousins, "We haven't had anyone talked about this much in years!"

"Will you two stop acting like twins?" Ryoji asked, "You're cousins."

"Yeah but that just makes us all the more interesting," said Sora.

"Our dads were real popular with the ladies because of it. We may not be identical but our fake family drama certainly keeps things interesting." said Sasuke.

Ryoji was curious so he bit, "What fake family drama?"

"Glad you asked," said the cousins, Sora started, "So the rumor is our parents are in a love triangle! My mom and the twins! And secretly I am the daughter of Hikaru and my mom, not Sasuke! And because of this it's tearing us apart!" Sasuke went on to say, "And because they're fighting so much, it's bringing us closer together in…taboo ways."

Ryoji ate his lunch and looked away from the cousins. They were drawing attention and more whispers. "Did your parents ever talk about the Host club?"

The cousins separated and nodded, "Of course. It was the best time of their lives."

"It tried to continue with Mori and Honey's brothers, but it didn't last once they left. They turned it into an animal care club but no one kept it up after they graduated so…" Sora shrugged. "Why are you thinking of bringing it back?"

"I don't see the point." said Ryoji, "It'll just distract us from school."

"And wouldn't that be awesome?" asked Sasuke, "It'll get dull and repetitive after the first few weeks. The least we can do is have fun."

Ryoji sat in silent contemplation. The host club was his father's thing…even his mother had her Entertainment Club in Boston…should he follow in their footsteps? That seemed to be what everyone was expecting. He didn't want to be exactly like them. His father even told him to try and figure out his own path. Odd how he did just so happen to stumble across the music room like that.

"I wouldn't know where to start…" Ryoji accidentally said outloud. He regretted it immediately at the Cousins lit up and pulled out a notepad and handed it to him.

"We already have a list!" they said together, "But we're a little short. We'll need to hold auditions to find _the natural_."

"The…what?" asked Ryoji, he looked at their poorly written list.

"The natural," said Sora, "It's what Haruhi was. The one who doesn't have to _try_ to hard to woo people."

"You have…all of us on this list…" Ryoji said, "There's no way Miss Suoh would ever go for this!"

"No," said the cousins and gave a devilish grin, "but there is someone who could convince her…" They stared at Ryoji and he instantly regretted talking to them about any of this.

And just like that…

 **The New Host Club was born…**


	45. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love Chapter 2

**Kiss Kiss Fall In Love!**

Chapter Two: A Host, is a Host, is a Host…

The doctors were here.

They walked to and from the east wing of the Ootori estate, each carrying tablets, charts, and medical equipment with them. Since Ami had grown weaker over their time in Japan, they didn't want to risk her moving to a medical facility, so they brought it to their home. Yuuichi Ootori, Kyoya's oldest brother, had volunteered to work with Ami. He performed x-rays, tried every sort of test he could think of; he was nearly there day and night. It was all very tiring. Kyoya had dark circles under his eyes and spent half of the day resting when Ami was resting.

Ryoji could barely get a moment to see his mother. She was either in tests, or she was sleeping because she was so tired due to all the tests. Kyoya was sure to keep reminding Ryoji that Ami would be fine. If Tamaki's mother could be cured of her lupis, than Ami could surely be healed of a lung infection. Though his words were confident, it still worried Ryoji that he was unable to see his mother. And it worried him more that his father was exhausted and missing work. If it wasn't for school, he would have stayed every day to help with what he could.

* * *

At school, Ryoji had sunken into his work so deep he was in a sort of haze. He didn't remember how he got from one class to the next, but he went through several school days like that. The girls tried to speak to him but their words fell on deaf ears. Even Toby had trouble paying attention in class. Ryoji did his work, ate lunch, and moved on. It was like every time he blinked, he was somewhere new. And one day, he found himself back in Music Room 3.

"Well, well, well…" Chiaki stood up from the table he was eating lunch at and skipped over to Ryoji who was shocked to see himself back in this room. "You come to figure out how you'll decorate the place?" Chiaki was wearing his boys uniform today and actually looked quite handsome in it.

"I didn't mean to end up here." Ryoji said.

"This is the second time you didn't mean to end up here." Chiaki walked over to Ryoji and bopped him on the head, "I think it's a sign."

Ryoji thought about that and looked at Chiaki, this strange, cross dressing boy, who kept popping up where ever he went, and smiled. "I'll try it…but only if we do it _my_ way."

Chiaki grinned and jumped up and hugged Ryoji. "I'm gonna call you by your first name from now on, buddy! Ryoji!" He kept cheering Ryoji's name and Ryoji sighed and wondered what he had just gotten himself into.

* * *

The Cousins arrived to music room 3 and helped Ryoji clear away all the sheets and open up the windows. Once the dust was cleared and everything reset, it was actually a very beautiful room. Sora pulled out her tablet and handed it to Ryoji who looked over all the photos of the host club adventures.

"Wow…" said Ryoji as he flipped through photo after photo, "Everyone was so young." He saw Tamaki posing in every photo while Haruhi merely attempted to look less annoyed in the costumes they wore. Kyoya stood in the corner of each photo with his black notebook in hand and a smirk on his face. Ryoji knew that face all too well, his father was proud. Hikaru and Kaoru seemed just as excited as Tamaki in each of the photos, and Honey and Mori were happily standing in the center of the photos, both looking content. "Everyone was so happy."

"Keep flipping," said Sasuke, "Their are photos of them in America."

And so he was right. Ryoji paused on a photo of his mother in an angel costume. She had bright white wings, and was grinning from ear to ear as she posed with the rest of the host club and the E-club in the photo. Her smile was like a shooting star and he worried that if he didn't memorize the photo, he'd lose it forever.

"Our moms were so pretty when they were young," said Sora, looking over Ryoji's photo, "I mean they still are now, but I mean…look at how excited everyone was. I wish I could see them all like that now."

"They're all so busy with work." sighed Sasuke.

Ryoji closed the tablet and handed it back to Sora and then examined the room. He clapped his hands together which called everyone's attention, "Right! Well, if there's one thing we can do well, it's look pretty," he winked and Chiaki started bouncing up and down, he knew where this was going. "Sora, Sasuke, I need you two to make copies of that list and send it to me and Chiaki. I'll start on half and you two work on the other half."

"Yes, sir!" said the cousins.

"Chiaki!" he saluted Ryoji instantly, "You told me a few days ago that you get love confessions all the time. Well it's time you put those good looks to use!"

"Am I gonna be a Host!?" asked Chiaki, practically screaming.

"No." said Ryoji, Chiaki felt like he got hit with a million arrows, "But…I need you to be our club manager."

"Like Renge!?"

"Precisely!" said Ryoji, though he didn't know who exactly that was, "I need you out there as both Kiki and Chiaki and start a rumor that the Host Club is going to open back up. But…we're short one Host and are going to be holding secret auditions in this very room. If this last person can impress me, they're in."

"Ooh spy work! I can do that!" said Chiaki.

"Good. Now, every day after school, we'll meet in here and bring whoever we can convince to join up. By the end of the week, there will be the New Host Club!"

"NEW HOST CLUB!" cheered the others.

* * *

Sophie stayed behind in class to wash her hands in the sink. Clay ran over her fingers and wrist and into the sink and she smiled. She was getting really good at sculpting. Though she had a few more years in school left, it wouldn't be a bad idea to think about art colleges.

Once her hands were clean she dried off, took off her apron, and then went to the main room to grab her bag. She was surprised to see Ryoji sitting in her spot and admiring her drying sculpture.

"You know," he said, "I never got modern art. That was more of my mother's thing."

"Hello Ootori," Sophie said, she sat next to him, "What brings you here?"

"I have a proposition for you," Ryoji said, he pushed up his glasses and smirked at her. Sophie knew this look all too well.

"No." She said.

"You didn't even hear me out."

"I remember that look, Ootori. When we were four you gave me that same look before you poisoned me and had me sent to the hospital."

Ryoji waved off the accusation, "I did not poison you. It was hardly poison. Besides you got that new bike that you wanted out of it didn't you?"

"THAT WAS THE TIME WHEN WE WERE EIGHT AND YOU PUSHED ME DOWN A HILL!"

"Like I can remember all of the schemes we put together."

" _You_ put together. You just used me because you knew everyone wouldn't get mad at me."

"Exactly! Look at those big blue eyes of yours, Sophie! Who could get mad at that? Why if anything, people could fall in love looking into those eyes." Ryoji stood and pulled Sophie toward him and looked deep into her eyes. She blushed as she waited for him to continue. "I'm reopening the Host club, and I want you join with me."

She pushed Ryoji away and grabbed her bag, "Why would you do a thing like that?" she asked, "That things been closed for years. Since before we were born. No one even remembers it."

"Which is why it'll be such a great way to start something new here. Don't you want to that pretty face of yours to make people smile? Your parents blessed you with great looks, why not use them?"

Sophie paused before the classroom door and looked back over at Ryoji, "Why are you suddenly so interested in this? I thought you just wanted to get through school with your head down and then leave Japan when you got the chance. No roots. No goodbyes."

Ryoji lost his smile for a second and sighed, "I need something to keep me out of the house." He said.

The sad look in Ryoji's eyes was enough to make Sophie want to run over and hug him, but she fought that feeling. She didn't even know why she had it. She felt bad for Ryoji, really, but she knew his mom would pull through.

"It'll be fine," she said, she walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "But I don't think distracting yourself is the best answer—"

"If you don't do this, I'll tell your parents you snuck out of the house to meet with that older university boy they don't like you seeing…"

Sophie froze, "H—H—How do you know about that?"

Ryoji helped up his phone that showed pictures of Sophie with an unidentifiable older young man, "I have tabs on everyone."

"You sneaky bastard!" she growled.

"Great! See you at today's first meeting after school in Music Room 3." He waved to her and walked off.

"I HATE YOU RYOJI OOTORI!"

"Love you too, Soph!" and he was gone.

* * *

The Cousins had an easier time recruiting Soma Haninozuka and his cousin, Yumi Morinozuka. Yumi was a second year high school student and head of the cooking club, but she liked the idea of the Host Club and since she was aboard, Soma decided he could make time between the Host club and the black magic club. Now that everyone was together, it was…

"Weird." said Sora, looking over all of them, "This is weird."

"Shouldn't this be an all boys club?" asked Sasuke

"Not really, the E-Club in Boston seemed to do well with boys and girls." said Sora.

"She's right. Besides, it'll draw more attention if the sons and daughters of the original host, ran this club." said Ryoji.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Senpai?" asked Soma as he flipped through a book of dark enchantments. "I mean…what makes you think people will want to be entertained by…us? We're nothing like our parents."

"Exactly!" Ryoji said, he smiled, "They'll come for the old and stay for the new. You all already have such unique personalities. They'll know we have the passion to carry on the legacy, but the determination to change things up."

Sophie stood up and placed her hands on her hips, "I see what you're trying to do, but you're forgetting one thing, Ootori. Our parents were _friends_. Look at us. We only ever hang out when they're all together and most of the time it's for appearances. We have nothing in common but our parents' pasts."

Silence.

Sophie wasn't wrong. On a normal day, Ryoji wouldn't even worry, much less think about everyone gathered here. Maybe the cousins, but that's only because he'd spent the most time with them—and they followed his orders.

"None of us have friends," Yumi said. They were all surprised to hear her speak. "Not really. This could be good."

"I agree with Mori-Senpai," Sora said. "We can give this a shot."

"I guess it couldn't be that bad…" Sophie muttered. The others joined in about the possibilities and Ryoji gave a thankful smile to Yumi who nodded to him.

Chiaki came through the door with a big grin on his face, "I think we've got some people who are interested to take that last spot."

"Last spot?" asked Sophie, "I thought we had everyone."

Ryoji smirked, "We've got everyone except…the _natural_." The cousins slapped themselves, having forgotten to write that person down. They looked over their notes, confused, and then tried to do some quick math.

"Ryoji, if we're right, then that should be Sophie." They said.

"Nope," said Ryoji, "I've figured it out. Some of us have mixed up our roles, and that's perfect! Sophie is actually the _cool type_. Look at how little she cares about anything. How it's just water off a ducks back. She's calm, cool, and collected most of the time. No one knows what's going on in her head? We'll never know!"

Sophie glared daggers at Ryoji who ignored her.

"Mori-Senpai," he looked at Yumi, "That makes you our Lolita!" She looked confused immediately, Ryoji went on to explain, "You're not tall, but you're super strong and you have the most beautiful big eyes, sure to melt anyone's heart. Plus with how little you speak, you come off as shy. That could be our angle!"

The cousins clapped for Ryoji's genius. They were loving it so far and Chiaki had sat down to take notes.

"That makes Soma Hani, our _strong type_. However, because Hani doesn't like to show off and is more reserved, that changes him to the _quiet, misunderstood type_. The kind of guy the girls would want to work hard at breaking his outer walls and getting to know the true him, inside."

"You've thought about this a lot haven't you?" asked Sophie. "So that means the cousins are still the _little devil_ types but now it's a brother/sister forbidden love?"

"Correct Miss Suoh." said Ryoji.

"So what does that make you?" she asked with a smile.

Ryoji flipped his hair and adjusted his glasses, "Why…you already know!" It was like he was hit with a spotlight and suddenly he became forlorn and distant, "The _Princely Type_."

Sophie laughed, "You?! Yeah right."

"No it's true!" said the cousins, "He's already got the nickname the Dark Prince. The girls are going crazy over his good looks and the suffering in his eyes. They want to rescue him, which makes Boss the Prince!"

"Don't call him Boss it'll go straight to his head." Sophie grumbled.

"Which leaves…" Ryoji started again, "A position open for _the natural type_. Someone who is indistinguishably homely, not super rich, but still content with their place in life." Chiaki bounced up and down in his spot and waved his hand in the air. "Sorry Chiaki, but you're our manager. You can't be a host." Chiaki fell over and cried. "Next week, we're hosting auditions!"


	46. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love Chapter 3

**Kiss Kiss Fall In Love**

Chapter Three: The Natural Type!

Ryoji's piano lessons with Tamaki were going extremely well. They practiced for an hour Friday-Sunday and then it was brunch with the Suoh's and Ootori's. Toby liked to sit beside Chieko, Sophie's younger sister who was in the same class as him. Chieko was blonde with dark brown eyes like her mother, and all the optimism of her father. Ryoji knew for a fact that Toby had a crush on her, but he didn't have the guts to confess. So once again, today, Toby sat beside Chieko and listened to her as she went on and on about the boys who loved her; and Toby consoled her, though he was dying on the inside.

Tamaki smiled at the two and looked around for Ryoji and Sophie. Normally the two would be nearby, but after their piano lesson, Ryoji disappeared and Sophie wandered off to him. Tamaki gave up on his search and instead walked into the day room where Kyoya and Haruhi sat chatting.

"How's Ami doing, Kyoya?" Tamaki asked.

"Her health is steady," Kyoya started, "But unfortunately the diagnosis is worse than we imagined…" Kyoya stopped when he heard a bump from behind the screen.

Ryoji held his breath as he waited for his father to go on, Sophie took his hand. They tried to remain quiet behind the screen.

Kyoya continued, "It's cystic fibrosis…"

"Oh no…" said Haruhi, "But…She seemed perfectly fine."

"It's treatable," Kyoya went on, "But not curable…not yet. For now she'll be bed ridden until she can breathe on her own again."

"How are the kids handling all of this?" Tamaki asked, his face quite serious. If anyone knew how they felt, it was him.

Kyoya pushed up his glasses and smiled, "Tobias visits her when she's asleep and puts flowers by her bed. Ryoji…he's distant. It makes sense, he's quite close to his mother. He's distracting himself so he doesn't have to face it. I give him the space he needs and we don't talk about it."

"Kyoya," said Haruhi, "Don't you think he needs you? To talk to him? You're his dad…"

"Ryoji is every bit of Amelie as he can be. He won't talk about it…not until he's ready. I won't push him."

Sophie looked up at Ryoji who stood and walked away. She sighed, knowing that Kyoya was right. He'd talk about it when he wanted to. At least now he could relax a bit, his mother wasn't dying, and that was a good start.

* * *

During the school week the _New_ Host Club had their auditions for the natural type Host and student after student arrived. Most of them were nothing more than boring, shy, young boys who were looking for a new way to build their relationships. Ryoji judged them on their looks, and Chiaki dressed as Kiki was judging the boys on their performances. So far…there was no one.

Ryoji was almost completely bored as each boy nervously poured Kiki a cup of tea and tried to talk to her about her school days. When Kiki was tired of them she waved each of them away so the next could come. They had been up to this for hours and no one had even gotten close to what they were looking for.

At the end of the day, Ryoji stood up to shut the clubs doors and Kiki had her head on the table, finally happy to end all of this.

"I don't think we're gonna find the one, Ryo…" Kiki mumbled from the table.

"It's only been one day, Chiaki…" Ryoji said, he rubbed his temple and sighed, "Let's hope tomorrow brings better prospects—"

"Excuse me!"

Ryoji had nearly shut the door in a girls face and he quickly apologized and let her in. "So sorry," he said with a bow.

"Lord Ootori!" Ryoji looked up at the girls face and saw that it was Mikoto…the servant girl! She gave him a big smile, "It's so nice to see you. This school is so big I never thought I'd run into you."

"You…go to Ouran?" asked Ryoji, "I didn't think your family could afford it?"

"I'm here on a scholarship, Senpai!" She was cheerful, more so than he remembered. Usually the girl was tripping over herself and apologizing profusely. "Are the auditions still going on or am I too late?"

Chiaki lifted his head and looked at her, "You...Want to be a host?"

Mikoto nodded, "I've heard all about it from Lady Ootori and thought it might be fun."

Ryoji pushed up his glasses, "I'm afraid we've already got enough girls in the club, Mikoto. We're looking for one more boy."

"I can do that!" Mikoto said, she looked hopeful, "Just let me audition, Lord Ootori, I promise I won't disappoint you." She bowed deeply and almost fell over and Ryoji rolled his eyes but never the less, let Mikoto in.

"I'll let you audition as a girl first, then tomorrow you can try again as a boy."

Chiaki reached up and pulled his wig off and looked boringly at Mikoto. He thought she was very plain looking, she wouldn't stand out from the crowd as a girl host. Chiaki sighed as Mikoto sat down in front of him and then gave him a big smile. "Um…hello."

"Good evening Mister Nomura. That's a lovely dress you're wearing." Mikoto said.

"Well thank you, it's a design of my mother's."

"How amazing, does she make all of your clothes?"

"Well actually she does! Except for the Ouran uniforms." Mikoto began to pour tea for Chiaki as he explained that his mother was the co-owner of a fashion company in Tokyo. "And she lets me be her model. I always have been, ever since I was a child."

"You make a wonderful model, I can see why she chose you. You're such a beautiful person!"

Chiaki blushed and wasn't sure how to respond. He looked over at Ryoji who was impressed. He then dismissed the red faced Chiaki and took his place at the table.

"Did I do ok?" Mikoto asked.

"More so than I thought you would," Ryoji said. He then began to pour her tea, "How is that you're so clumsy when you're doing a job but you're as calm as rain when you're here?"

Mikoto shrugged, "My father is a confidence seminar speaker. He's wrote plenty of books. He's been training me in socialization since I was born. But…I don't know. When I'm not around a lot of people, I get in my own head. I sort of get lost."

"Do you really think you could pull this off as a boy?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure of it!" She gave Ryoji a thumbs up.

"Why do you want to be a host so badly?" He leaned forward and gave her a look quite similar to how Kyoya would look when considering his options.

"I had heard so much about it," Mikoto said, "Your mother seemed really fond of it. I bring her, her tea and food in the evenings and she likes me to sit with her and talk," Ryoji tensed as he heard her say this, "I think she knows what you're doing. And nothing would make her happier than to see you happy. And well…I made it my secret promise to her to do whatever I can to help you."

There was a silence between them and Ryoji studied Mikoto. Now he remembered her. Always spending time with his mother when he couldn't or when he was busy doing work with his father. Always accompanying them on their little vacations throughout Japan…Mikoto wasn't just a servant…she was his mother's personal ward. Always bringing her medicine, and learning etiquette from her. Always making his mother smile. She had always wanted a daughter…had she found that in Mikoto?

"Come back tomorrow," Ryoji said, "And we'll see how you do."

* * *

And Mikoto did come back, except she looked nothing like she did before. Mikoto had long black hair that usually fell into her brown eyes and today…she actually looked like a boy. All of her long hair was gone and instead she had a polished, short hair cut with bangs swept to the side. She also managed to find an Ouran Boy's uniform and she made… a good looking young man.

"M—Mikoto?" Chiaki looked over Ryoji's shoulder and the other hosts, who had gathered for a meeting, looked at her with curiosity.

"Who's this guy?" asked Sasuke.

Ryoji pushed up his glasses with a smirk, and looked at the others, "This…ladies and gentlemen, is our newest Host. Mikoto Sun. He's a first year student."

Mikoto rushed forward and bowed, "It's pleasure to meet all of you." She flashed everyone a grin and the cousins immediately stood in awe.

"The natural…" they said in hushed voices.

"That's quite a refreshing smile," Chiaki said, he winked at Ryoji who chuckled. Mikoto was determined to stay by his side and apparently she had no boundaries. "So…how long until they all figure it out?"

"We'll give it time." Ryoji said.


	47. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love Chapter 4

**Kiss Kiss Fall In Love**

Chapter Four: The Host Club is Open!

She was sleeping soundly. The machines whirred and pumped and tracked all of Ami's vital signs. She was fine, she was healing, it was good. But she'd be weak for a while. Ryoji pinned his mothers hair out of her face. She hated sleeping with her hair down. He'd have to have the maids take care of that. He left her a note on the side of her bed and then kissed her on the cheek. He then left the room quietly, slowly shutting the door and headed out of the main house.

Outside, Mikoto was waiting for Ryoji in her Ouran boys uniform. She smiled at him and got into the family car. "What do you think?" Mikoto asked, "I've never had short hair before, but I think it looks good on me."

"You look…like a handsome young man," Ryoji said with a smirk, "That's exactly what we want."

"Thank you for letting me stay by your side, Lord Ootori—"

Ryoji held up his hand to stop her, "From this day out, you'll only call me Ryoji or Ootori, like everyone else. None of this lord business."

Mikoto thought about this, "Wouldn't that seem more romantic to the girls though? Your ever faithful servant?"

"We can still carry on with that," Ryoji said as he pulled out his tablet and handed it to her, "But we'll be formal about it. Read your new story. Chiaki emailed it to me last night."

Mikoto's new backstory now was:

He had been personally hired by Lord Ootori to attend to his son's every whim and desire. While they lived in Japan, it was pertinent that Ryoji feel like he wasn't alone, now separated from all his American friends, and waiting for the recovery of his mother's health. Mikoto will do anything to keep Ryoji happy, even if that means he has to do it secretly so he doesn't find out.

"That's…a little dramatic." Mikoto said, "And are you sure you want people to know about your mother?"

"It's basically what you're already doing…" said Ryoji, "People whisper here. They'll find out sooner or later, so it's better if it comes from us, rather than their parents."

"Why are you doing this, Senpai?" Mikoto asked, Ryoji looked at her, confused, she clarified, "I mean…the Host Club? You'll be spending more time away from your mother…why?"

Ryoji looked out of the car window, "It'll give me something to do."

Mikoto, not completely satisfied with the answer, nodded anyway, "Whatever you say, Senpai."

* * *

With Mikoto as his side, Ryoji was beginning to hear more and more whispers about himself, which now…he didn't mind. Everyone wondered if Mikoto had been around this entire time or if this were his first year at Ouran. Who was he to Ryoji? Why did he follow Ryoji around so closely? Was Mikoto in love with Ryoji?

This had all started to make Mikoto very popular with the ladies and it was even rumored that he was a commoner who the Ootori family sponsored. Chiaki helped push the rumors along, and added the fact that Mikoto worked for the Ootori family which impressed everyone all the more. And now, they were all looking forward to the Host Club opening up so they could see the two interact in a more relaxed setting.

"You're proud of yourself, aren't you?" Sophie asked when they all sat down at lunch together. "Getting all this attention and what not."

"Of course I am," Ryoji said, Mikoto sat down and joined them with a bento boxed lunch. "This'll be good for us, all of us."

"Here Senpai, did you want to try some of my lunch? I made it!" Mikoto picked up her chopsticks and held out a sushi roll to Ryoji. Some of the other students in the room started whispering and he took the opportunity to let Mikoto feed him.

Sophie's cheeks flushed an annoyed red as she watched Ryoji soak in the attention. He reminded her way too much of her father. Everywhere he went, he needed all eyes on him. Her mother didn't seem to mind at all, in fact it was like she encouraged him to be so flamboyant and loud. Chiaki, dressed as Kiki flew to the table and tried feed Ryoji too, and Ryoji pushed him away which made Kiki yell at him for having favorites.

"If you'll excuse me," said Sophie as she stood up from the table, "I seem to have lost my appetite."

"She's jealous…" Kiki whispered to Ryoji, and then he smirked, "We could play off of that."

"Chiaki, my friend, you _are_ a dubious one."

* * *

At the end of the week the Host Club would finally be opening. Ryoji and Chiaki had sat down for days to figure out the finances and what they could and couldn't afford to do. Chiaki decided that the first theme would be Ladies and Gentleman of the 18th century. The costumes were readily available through the drama department and so they could cut a few corners and save some money by going directly through them. The decorations are what fascinated Chiaki the most and he spent many hours designing the room.

"I'm not wearing this!" Sophie called from the changing room. Sora rolled her eyes and stormed through the doors and what followed were many sounds of distress and violence. After a few minutes, Sophie was pushed out of the room and stood in her very large, very, French, Ladie's dress with very tall hair to match.

"You look great Sophie, I don't understand what you're so upset about," Ryoji said without looking at her.

"This is dumb. Why go this big on the first day?"

"We want to leave an impression, So-Chan," Sasuke said as Sora finished helping him get ready.

"If you go through this one day, and do your absolute best to impress our guests, I'll let you out of our deal, Sophie." Ryoji whispered into her ear.

"I guess I can last one day…"

"What deal?" the cousins asked.

"People are at the door," Soma said, he walked into the room in a dark navy outfit.

Chiaki came twirling into the back room in his best victorian dress and wig. He grinned at everyone and then threw his arms around Ryoji. "It's time! The big opening! So-Chan, get on the piano!"

"I don't know how to play the piano," Sophie said. All eyes fell on her, "My sister is the one who plays. I'm the sporty one."

"Sure…" they all said together. It wasn't unknown that Sophie _attempted_ sports. She was adequate, but not the best runner…just like her mother.

"Someone put on some classical music or so help me God!" Chiaki barked at all of them.

Sasuke plugged in his phone into the speakers and played his music. Then they all took their places by the front door. Chiaki arranged them all around Ryoji with Mikoto and Sophie on his left and right and Soma, Yumi, and the cousins, on the bottom like a pyramid. Then he took a deep breath, and opened the double doors…

* * *

"Welcome!" The New Host Club greeted their guests.

The boys and girls on the other side of the door were in awe. The club was decorated beautifully and the music created a calming ambiance. They walked in and took their places at tables. Ryoji nodded to the others and they got up and introduced themselves.

"Wow!" said one girl as she sat with Soma, "I never thought you spoke to anyone who wasn't in the black magic club…"

Soma took her hand and looked her in the eyes, "I'm sorry if I caused you any distress. You see, I was cursed as a child to find my solace in the darkness…I just wish there was someone…who could be the light to lift this misery…"

More girls flocked over to Soma and praised him for his strength and desire to be happy. Chiaki nodded as he took down notes, "Creepy…but it works." He noted.

"Would you like me to pour you more tea, Yumi-Senpai?" asked a young boy sitting with her. She nodded and he blushed and scooted closer. "Did you make these sweets? They're delicious."

"I did," said Yumi and she smiled, "Thank you. That means so much to me." Suddenly a group of boys surrounded her and started telling her how much more they liked her treats she baked.

"Excellent…" Chiaki said.

Sophie stood in a corner looking out of a window. There were plenty of young boys near her, each too nervous to say something. Chiaki met her eye and glared at her. He then held up a folder that had big red words written on it, _SECRET_ EVIDENCE. She glared at Chiaki and then decided to notice her admirers. She flashed them a smile and they all turned red, "I'm sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. How can I help you?"

"Better…" Chiaki muttered.

He walked right by the cousins who were already pros at this and could hear them joking with each other and making their combined group laugh and blush. Last but not least was…

"Mikoto, please sit down. You've done enough…"

Ryoji and Mikoto. Chiaki had to hand it to her, the girl was dedicated to her role. She had been running back and forth from the group that was with Ryoji to the back room to fetch more snacks and to make more coffee. Ryoji stood and grabbed her hand. The girls watched in anticipation…

"Mikoto…I mean it. Sit down. Enjoy yourself." he smiled softly at her.

"But… Lord Ootori!"

Ryoji pulled her down to the couch and looked her in the eyes, "How many times do I have to tell you, when we're in public…call me…Senpai."

The girls all screamed from the built up tension and flushed with red. "I can't look away!" One girl sighed, "It's forbidden but they're so perfect for each other!" cried another, "Look at how he cares for the Dark Prince!" Another forced her friend to keep watching the two.

This was the best bit Chiaki could have come up with. He'd make Renge proud.

"Kiki!"

A group had called to Chiaki and he smiled and then skipped over to them, "Don't you just love the host club?!" He asked them.

"It's so amazing!" the girls said. "We can't believe you're the manager. You're so lucky."

"I get to surround myself with beautiful people every day, it's a dream come true!" Chiaki squealed.

The day came to an end and everyone said goodbye to their guests. There were many promises of the guests returning and once the doors closed, Chiaki and the cousins cheered!

"I'd say that was successful," Ryoji said as he pushed up his glasses.

"Um…successful?" Chiaki asked as he knocked on Ryoji's head, "That was amazing!"

"I wouldn't mind continuing this," Soma said as he started to change his clothes. "A lot of these girls have a darkness in them. I'd like to find it."

Chiaki stepped away from Soma.

"It's fun." said Yumi.

"Well duh we're coming back," Sora and Sasuke said.

They all turned to Sophie who was sending a text on her phone. "Ugh…" she sighed and looked at them. "I promised one night."

"You also promised to do the best you could and I don't think I saw that!" Chiaki snapped at her. He then placed his arm around Ryoji who was smirking, "What do you think, Boss?"

"Ryoji…" Sophie growled.

Ryoji smiled an evil smile, "Chiaki _is_ the manager, Sophie. If he said you didn't perform to your best…well then…I guess you'll have to stay a little longer." Both Chiaki and Ryoji had evil white eyes that shined.

"I hate you," Sophie said as she shut her phone.

"From this day forward," Chiaki said, "You'll have to get a request rate of…at least 80%!"

Sophie dropped her phone, "That's impossible, Chiaki! Not even my father got a request rate that high!"

"Let the games begin!" Chiaki cheered.


	48. Spelling and Grammar errors

Hey all!

Thank you, thank you for the reviews! And also the DM's about some messed up chapters! No joke, it's been really helpful.

I didn't realize the site deletes the actual files after a few months, so I'll be overhauling some chapters to clean them up and make them an easier read. So please forgive the constant email notifs about updates!

Also, I hope you're enjoying KKFIL! Chiaki is becoming my new favorite character and I think I'm gonna write a solo chapter just for him! Also, Chiaki goes by either gender pronoun, so you can call them a he or she, just like RuPaul! You'll be seeing a lot of out of school chapters with our host kids and also looking into their personal lives. I'm glad you're sticking around for the journey!

-Cheers!


	49. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love Chapter 5

**Kiss Kiss Fall In Love!**

Chapter Five: Sophie's Secret Boyfriend

"Oh Kyoya! Your boys just get cuter each year!"

Fuyumi, Kyoya's older sister, hugged Toby and Ryoji and nuzzled her face against theirs. Her son, Tadashi also hugged his younger cousins. He was starting his first year at college and was—as expected of him—going to medical school. However, Kyoya often mentioned that Tadashi wasn't exactly the brightest of the Ootori's so most likely he'd be a pediatric doctor, not a surgeon. He was every bit alike to Fuyumi as he could be and Kyoya tolerated the frequency of their visits.

"It's good to see you too Obasan!" Toby said.

"Please stop hugging me…" Ryoji said as he tried to get away from Tadashi.

"Uncle Kyoya! Ryoji doesn't love me!" Tadashi whined.

Kyoya sighed as he walked through the living room, "Ryoji, spend time with your cousin."

Tadashi cheered and then dragged his cousins off to the back of the estate. Fuyumi smiled and then picked up her gift she brought for Amelie. She followed Kyoya as he led her through the home. "How's she doing, Kyo?"

"Much better," Kyoya said, "She's been going on walks in the afternoons for fresh air. We should be able to catch her."

Fuyumi put her hand on Kyoya's shoulder and turned him around. He looked down at his sister who studied his face. After a moment, she gave him a sad smile, "You've never left her side have you?"

Kyoya placed his hands in his pockets and turned back around, "She's my wife," he said, "What would I gain if she were gone?" Fuyumi teared up and hugged her brother and started telling him about how proud she was of him and that he was a great husband and father.

"Fuyumi?"

Both Ootori's turned to see Amelie walking in through one of the side doors. Fuyumi grabbed Ami's hands and said she was happy to see her regaining her health. Ami looked tired, she was wrapped in a thick shawl, by Kyoya's command, and not as bright and happy like she used to be, but…she was healthy and that was all that mattered.

"It's good to see you too, Sis!" Ami said.

"Is there anything I can do around here?" Fuyumi asked.

Kyoya sighed and Ami grimaced. Fuyumi meant well, she just didn't make a good house wife. Every time she came over she took out all of their clothes and tried to put them back. She tried to cook and nearly burned the estate down. And if she tried to clean something she'd end up burning a hole into it. The last time she tried to vacuum she blew out the power.

"Um…that's ok, Fuyumi. Having you here is enough." Ami said.

Fuyumi gave Ami her present which was a home made sweater. It wasn't the best...it was frayed and had uneven knitting...but it was from the heart.

* * *

Ryoji sat on his bed as Toby and Tadashi riffled through his book shelf. "Ryo, you have such boring books!" Tadashi sighed, "Not even any mangas…"

"Can you please stop going through my stuff?" Ryoji asked.

"I'm bored," Tadashi said, "Let's go out!"

"We _have_ been inside all weekend," Toby said. Ryoji glared at him and he shrank away from his brother. "I'm just saying…"

Ryoji sighed and took out his phone and sent out a group text to the hosts. Maybe one of them was free today so he could get his cousin and brother out of his hair. Chiaki was out because he was attending a fashion show with his mother in Milan. The cousins were free and on their way. Soma and Yumi were both busy, Yumi was helping her mother cater a business event, and Soma was in martial arts training, so that left—Sophie. Who wasn't home and wasn't responding to his messages. For some odd reason, this bothered Ryoji the most.

* * *

The cousins arrived and soon the small group was off to spend the day at a commoners market. Tamaki had suggested that all the kids do it during their free time and Kyoya was surprisingly supportive. He said each visit would be "educational".

"I'm surprised you're not spending the day at home, Senpai…" Said Sasuke. "Isn't your mother doing better?"

"She is." said Ryoji while checking out some scarfs that were on sale. Toby looked up at his brother and analyzed him. There was clearly something Ryo didn't want to talk about, but he hated it when someone tried to push him to talk about his feelings. So instead, Toby distracted his brother with a pair of matching sweaters he suggested they get.

"We haven't matched since we were kids!" Toby exclaimed and he shined a big bright brown eyes at his big brother.

"Whatever..." Ryoji sighed, though he did smirk and Toby happily paid the vendor.

"I can't go anywhere without running into you can I?" Sophie tapped Ryoji on the shoulder and he smiled at her.

"What brings you to this commoners market, Suoh?" He bowed to her and stepped closer.

"Just call it a market, Ryoji." She laughed and tossed her brown hair over her shoulders, "And I'm here looking for clothes."

"Ootori Senpai!"

Both turned around to see Mikoto running towards him. She hugged Ryoji and once she took a step back he saw that she was still wearing boys clothes.

"You're committed to this aren't you?" Sophie asked, she looked Mikoto up and down and sighed. There was something about Mikoto she didn't like.

Mikoto bowed deeply to Sophie. They had known each other for a long time, since Sophie and her family visited the Ootori's frequently. So Ryoji knew she would have picked up on Mikoto's gender swap the very first day. Mikoto said she wasn't worried and didn't mind that Sophie knew. In fact Mikoto was happy just to get to know Sophie better.

"Hello Miss Suoh. You look lovely today!"

"My look at how handsome that young man is…"

Ryoji saw a group of girls giggling over Mikoto whose cheeks were red. She didn't pay attention to them because her eyes were on Sophie who was very discontented to be near Mikoto. Ryoji felt like something was stirring, and he liked the idea.

"Hello, Sun-san…" Sophie finally greeted her.

Before anything could start to be interesting a tall young man walked over to them and placed his arm around Sophie. He was clearly a university age man, a commoner, Ryoji didn't like him.

"Ryoji, this is…Tai, he's a university student."

Ryoji bowed to Tai, though Tai didn't bow in return. He simply lifted his head up in a juvenile gesture.

"Ryo!" Tadashi threw himself on his cousin and hugged him, "You haven't introduced me to your cute friend!" He winked at Mikoto who bowed to him.

"Mikoto Sun, this is Tadashi Yuma, my cousin. Tadashi, this is Mikoto." Ryoji sighed and stepped away as Tadashi stepped up to flirt with Mikoto. Apparently she was passable enough as a boy to trick Tadashi, who Ryoji was sure had flirted with nearly every boy in Japan.

Ryoji turned his attention back to Tai and Sophie who were talking quietly to one another. He waited for them to notice him and then Sophie walked over to Ryoji and pulled him away. "You're not going to tell your dad you saw me right?" She asked.

"You mean so he doesn't tell _your_ father that you were out with your much older boyfriend? A man I can only assume your father doesn't like? You should listen to him to Sophie. Your father is a good judge of character."

Sophie rolled her eyes at Ryoji and then punched him in the arm, he flinched of course, not being a very athletic young man, "Don't tell!"

"Sophie you know I was bred for my _looks_!" Ryoji snapped at her, "I can't afford to have bruises on my caramel skin."

Sophie glared at him and said, "I hate you, you stuck up, pretty boy, American." But she did laugh so Ryoji smiled.

"You couldn't get enough of me even if you tried," Ryoji said and he winked at her. He placed his arm around her shoulder and scanned Tai up and down, "So how did you two meet?"

"At a summer school we both taught at. He just graduated High School and moved on to University recently, so he's not that much older than us."

"Three years." Said Ryoji.

"Your mom is a year older than your dad and my dad is two years older than my mom."

"Are you planning on getting married sometime soon?"

Sophie blushed and pushed Ryoji away and went to join Tai as he purchased them tea. Mikoto took Ryoji's arm and pulled him off toward the other side of the market, "You should really learn to relax, Senpai." She said, "Or you'll never learn to have any fun!"

He smiled and nodded and then they walked over to a booth where a woman was selling dresses. Mikoto picked up a beautiful pink dress with white lace details and held it up.

"I thought you were committing to being a boy?" Ryoji asked.

"Not for me, silly! For your mom!"

Ryoji stared at it a little closer now and looked at the little floral details. "She'd love this." He finally said.

Mikoto turned to the seller and asked her how much it was. Ryoji reached into his pocket to pay for it and looked over his shoulder briefly to see Sophie on her own and surrounded by a group of young men. He handed his wallet to Mikoto and walked over to the boys.

"You're a cute one. How about we get your number cutie?" the leader of the gang asked.

Ryoji pushed through them and grabbed Sophie's hand and pulled her away from them. "Back off," he said.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"asked the leader. The rest of his boys surrounded him.

Sophie stood up tall and glared at them, "Someone who's worth my time. You heard the man. Back off. I'm spoken for."

This made the leader angry and he moved to shove Ryoji but Sophie stepped in the way and took the hit and fell to her knees. Ryoji knelt to help her up and his fist balled up and he shook with rage. But before Ryoji could hit the guy—BLAM!

The gang leader hit the ground before anyone could blink and standing over him was Mikoto. "You don't hit ladies!" she barked at him.

Sasuke and Sora arrived at the scene ready to fight but the gang grabbed their leader and then ran off. Ryoji held Sophie and looked her over.

"I'm fine, Ootori," she sighed as she dusted off her clothes.

"Why did you jump in the way?" he asked her.

"You're a delicate flower," Sophie said with a laugh. "I couldn't let that money maker of yours get bruised."

She grinned and just for a moment, she looked exactly like her mother. Ryoji hugged her, "You know that was supposed to be my job right?"

"I won't tell the girls, I swear." She flashed him a peace sign though she winced in pain.

"We should get that looked at," Ryoji said, "My dad can…" She shook her head no and Ryoji understood. There'd be no way she could explain this to her overprotective father.

Sophie turned around and grabbed Mikoto's hand and looked at her fist. It was scrapped and bleeding. "Mikoto, you shouldn't have fought those boys. They were bigger than you."

"So?" Mikoto asked, "They hurt you and bullied Senpai, I couldn't let them get away with that." She finally looked up into Sophie's big blue eyes and blushed. "I'm fine, honestly!"

"We can go back to the estate and get that fixed up, Mikoto," Said Ryoji, though it really wasn't a suggestion. Mikoto bowed to him and agreed. Ryoji looked around, "Where's your stupid boyfriend? If he had been with you we could have avoided all of this."

"He ran into someone from his university and went to talk with her," Sophie said, she didn't seem too happy and Ryoji wasn't glad to hear the news either.

"Go find him, Miss Suoh, we'll be spending the rest of our time here." Mikoto took Ryoji's arm and smiled and Sophie, a little astonished to be dismissed so soon, agreed.

Sora and Sasuke watched the scene closely but followed Mikoto's lead as they decided to go somewhere else. It was no secret amongst the club that Ryoji and Sophie were incredibly close and had been since they were kids. Sophie had always looked out for Ryoji and Ryoji mostly took whatever harassment he got from other people. To him it was a part of life, but to Sophie it was intolerable. It was this part of their friendship that always made them work so well together. Her need for justice and Ryoji's ability to not take anything personally. Sora and Sasuke always rooted for the two to get together but now with Mikoto in the picture, they weren't so sure anymore. Mikoto seemed to know what Ryoji wanted without him saying anything. Being away from Sophie and her boyfriend seemed to already relax him and they went right back to shopping for his mother.

"Yo boss?" Sasuke called, Ryoji looked back at him, "You're treating us to lunch right?"

Ryoji laughed, "You wish!"

The rest of the day Mikoto spent her time distracting Ryoji and buying more and more things for his mother. Sora and Sasuke got to know Mikoto a little better, and found out that he (still thinking Mikoto was a boy) was incredibly into the solar system and wanted to study rocket science. Sasuke actually had a great time talking with her which gave Ryoji and Sora time to talk.

"I think today was actually a success for a partial club outing." Sora said as she linked arms with him.

"We'll have to find some time for all of us to be together." He said.

"How about a sleepover?"

"We're not children."

"No, we're friends!"

* * *

Sasuke called over to Sora and told her that they had to head home. She kissed Ryoji on the cheek and then the cousins went on their way. Toby, Tadashi, Mikoto and Ryoji got into the Ootori family car and drove back to the estate. Ryoji could see from the front steps that his mother and aunt were walking around and sipping tea. His mother looked happy if not a little tired and Ryoji went inside to set her presents on the bed.

Toby and Tadashi were in the entertaining room and playing a game of chess and Ryoji would have joined them if Yumi and his mother hadn't walked in. Toby stood up and lept into his mother's arms. She gave him a big kiss and hugged him as tight as she could. Ryoji stood in the door way and something in him prevented him from going forward. From hugging her and telling her he was glad to have her. And that was all he wanted to do. To run to her. To scold her for worrying him so much. To ask her if he could serve her tea and watch their favorite movie together...

Ryoji backed up and bumped into his father. He stumbled for a moment. Then turned and ran up to his room.


	50. Did you know?

1) I think first and foremost I should clarify how old everyone was/is:

Takashi Morinozuka - 19 in Maybe you're my Love

Mitskuni Haninokua - 19 in MYML

Amelie Noble - 18 in MYML

Taralynn Moby - 18 MYML

Kyoya Ootori - 17 MYML

Tamaki Suoh - 17 MYML

Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin - 16 MYML

Haruhi Fujioka - 16 MYML

2) MYML takes place exactly 1 year after the Manga ends.

3) If Ami and Kyoya had never met, she'd end up running her father's business alone and would be a lot like her mother

4) Terrance and Victoria Noble met while Victoria was doing an internship in college at a rival business. I'll probably write a special chapter for that later.

5) Tara chooses to become a writer and wrote a novel about her time at Bizu. The twins translated it and added a few extra chapters that Tara doesn't know about.

6) I still haven't decided who Kieran or Nate ended up with. Honestly I ship Kieran and Nate but also Kieran and Max. Margo probably found her wife in college. Ellie is probably enjoying being single.

7) Mr. Noble's movie about Ami and Kyoya being trapped in that cave did really well overseas and had limited release in the U.S. It made them quite a bit of money and Kyoya isn't too happy about how Mr. Noble portrays him. It makes Ami seem like the brave one.

8) Kyoya and Ami were planning on having a third child but when she got sick they put that on hold.

9) Mori has his own dojo and to get into the class that he teaches he makes his students fight Honey. When not at the dojo he runs his own law firm.

10) You may have missed it, but I hinted at Ami's sickness throughout the series of MYML. She had breathing trouble as a kid and some of it was still present when she was in high school. But don't worry, I'm not gonna kill her off! Maybe... I haven't decided yet. Kill your darlings, right? (I know that's not the actual meaning of the quote, but it's fitting).

11) Host Kids' Ages:

Ryoji Ootori - 15 yrs old

Sophie Suoh - 15 yrs old

Mikoto Sun - 15 yrs old

Chiaki Nomura - 16 yrs old

Yumi Morinazuka - 17 yrs old

Soma Haninazuka - 14 yrs old

Sasuke and Sora Hitachiin - 15 yrs old

Toby Ootori- 12 yrs old

Chieko Suoh- 12 yrs old

Shima Haninazuka- 12 yrs old


	51. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love OMAKE 1

**Kiss Kiss Fall In Love!**

Omake: Toby

School…was much different in Japan.

Yet again, I found myself pinned to the wall awaiting the angry fist of another boy from my class. And just like any other day, Chieko came running to my rescue. Father always said there was something to be said about a Suoh. They were bold, brash, and rude. But damn it, if they weren't loyal. Chieko threw herself on me to stop the blow from the boy, Tai Hoda. He was taller than me, bigger than me, and a member of the sports club. He had a huge crush on Rika-Shima Haninazuka, but he hated that she spent a lot of her time with me. It wasn't his business to know that she and I had nothing romantic going on, but I also liked that it tortured him a bit every time he saw us together…and that is what brought on our ritual morning beating.

"Move out of the way, Miss Suoh!" Tai snapped at her.

She nuzzled her head deeper into my neck and shook her head no. Tai was forced to back off a little and he could see that with Chieko there, he was starting a scene.

"What's going on here?"

Ah, the lovely, monotone voice of Shima had arrived. She had her mother's black hair but Honey's brown eyes. She rarely smiled and so her expression was often stone cold.

Once Chieko heard Shima's voice, she lifted her head, tears in her big brown eyes, and said, "Oh it's horrible, Honey-Chan! They're picking on poor, little, Toby-Chan! How could they do that? His family is already going through so much! And yet, here he stands, brave and in the face of danger! Why…it breaks my heart!"

A crowd had gathered and at this point Tai had given up the hunt. That didn't mean he wouldn't try again tomorrow. Or the day after that. I never had these problems in America. Everyone loved me over there. I was school treasurer since fourth grade. Now, here I was, thirteen years old, getting my ass kicked nearly every day and trying my best to keep up with what the teacher said in Japanese. Father would be disappointed in me.

Once Tai had run off the crowd thinned out and slid down the wall and sat on the ground. Chieko, now magically tear free, and Shima both stared down at me.

"You should tell the teacher, Toby." Chieko said, "They can't keep picking on you like that."

"I could handle it once and for all," Shima said. She was the youngest captain in the school, head of the martial arts club. It was a Haninazuka tradition, I guess.

"No," I said to both of them, then searched for my tablet that I dropped, "I'm an Ootori. We can talk our way out of anything."

"Doesn't your family own a private police task force?" Chieko asked, and suddenly a chill ran down all of our spines. We looked around but could see nothing.

"We do," I said, and then made sure to be loud and clear with the next part, "But my father gave strict instructions that were to go no where near the school!" I looked around again. That feeling that someone was watching me had disappeared. "It's fine, really, ladies."

I stood up and picked up my bag, ready to go to class and hope that my father's Japanese lessons were working.

"At least tell your brother," Shima said as the three of us headed inside, "Ryoji wouldn't stand for this."

Ah, Ryoji…

Things hadn't been getting better at home for him. He avoided all the family breakfasts, all the dinners, and outings. Mother had been asking about him a lot. With such a huge estate though, it was easy to miss one another. I covered for him when I could, but I think mom had caught on. Eventually she stopped asking so much. Ryoji would come around.

"He's too busy being popular in the high school," I laughed and placed a hand behind my head. Perhaps showing them that I was relaxed would work…well it would have, had my arm not been bruised by Tai. I promptly placed it back down.

"We should check out the host club," Chieko said with a smile. Thank God, I'd gotten them to change the subject, "Everyone says it's doing really well! Maybe when the others graduate, we can take over!"

Shima rolled her eyes, "I think that club is a waste of time. What do they even do? Sip tea and talk about how pretty they all are?"

"That sounds perfect!" Chieko's eyes shimmered like stars at the thought of getting compliments for several hours straight. She was far too easy to read. She wore her heart on her sleeve and dreamed aloud. It's what I admired most about her.

"I can't believe my brother joined that dumb club," Shima said with a sigh.

"All of our siblings are in the club," I said, "I think it's great Ryoji and everyone are getting along again."

Chieko linked her arms with Shima and I and grinned, "It's all because your family moved back here!" She nodded, as if agreeing with herself, "My dad was always happy to fly out and visit you guys in California, but he was through the roof when you decided to stay!"

"We didn't decide to stay," I removed Chieko's grip on my arm and stuffed both hands in my pocket. "My mom got sick, and we had to stay."

She frowned and quickly tried to find her words, "Toby, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that, it's just that—"

"Here's our classroom," Shima said, she placed a hand on Chieko's shoulder to stop her and waved to me. "We'll see you at lunch?"

I nodded and went on my way to my class, taking out my tablet and going back to what I was working on before.

* * *

The day went by fast and I was surprised to get a text from Ryoji to meet him for lunch. His teacher was sick so he had free time. Since we moved he and I rarely spent any time together, so I didn't want to pass up on this. I sent a message to Shima explaining to her where I would be, and then quickly jogged to the other side of Ouran to the high school.

I saw Ryoji talking to Mikoto and they seemed to be getting along really well. I didn't want to interrupt. It was nice seeing him talk to her. She'd been with the family for years off and on whenever we visited Japan and he never really spoke to her except to give a command or ask her where someone was. I wished I could read my brother's mind. What changed?

Mikoto looked over Ryoji's shoulder and smiled at me and then Ryoji turned and motioned for me to join them. I bowed to Mikoto who bowed deeply and then said goodbye.

"Just us?" I asked.

Ryoji placed his hand on my head and smiled, "Of course, dummy." I hated it when he did that. He was just barely taller than me.

"What do you have in mind?"

Yumi had made a special lunch just for my brother and I, and to my surprise, it was our favorite American meal. Burgers that were still hot, fresh french fries, and cookie and cream milkshakes with homemade ice cream. It was heaven. And something told me that Aunt Andie had a hand in re-creating it.

"This is too beautiful to eat…" I said through a mouthful of fries.

Ryoji dipped his fries into his milkshake, he always did that, "The food here isn't bad, it's just not as unhealthy as American food. Sometimes you just miss the oil and carbs."

"Dad would kill us if he saw us eating this."

Ryoji laughed and a few students in the courtyard looked over at us. But he kept his eyes on me. There was something he wanted to talk about. But I'd wait for him to say it.

"Dad's always hated greasy food." Ryoji said.

"Remember when he was here and Grandpa took us on that week long best burgers in America hunt?" I asked.

"We missed so much school!"

"Mom was so mad we didn't get her a souvenir from every state!"

"We got so sick."

"That's how you know it's good!" we both cheered with our milkshakes and laughed. It'd been so long since Ryoji had actually let loose. He was so different here in Japan. So solemn.

"I'm sorry I haven't spent more time with you." He said.

"It's ok. You've been sad."

He looked shocked and I nearly laughed. He wasn't very good at hiding his emotions.

"How can you be so calm?" he asked me, "You should be angry at me. You should yell at me!"

"You're so dramatic," I waved him off, "You're allowed to be sad, Ryo. But…just go talk to Mom. She misses you."

Before Ryoji could say anything, I felt something hard slam into the back of my head. I fell, knocking our food all over the courtyard and Ryoji caught me and held me up.

"What the hell?!" Ryoji cried out.

"Knew I'd find that stupid Hafu, here."

Crap. Of course Tai would ruin this. Come to seek his revenge for being embarrassed in front of Shima, I could only presume. Ryoji touched my head and I winced.

"You're bleeding…" he said, the anger clear on his voice. Ryoji sat me on the ground and I leaned against the wall we were sitting on. He took off his glasses and looked over his shoulder. "Who the hell are you?"

Tai looked up at Ryoji and glared at him, "Ugh, let me guess, you're his brother? The Hafu that's got all the girls in the school going crazy, huh?"

"Watch your mouth, kid." Ryoji stepped forward, "Apologize to my brother."

"Back off! I'm not here for you."

"Whatever you have against my brother, you can deal with it through me."

"I'm not leaving until I teach that punk a lesson!" Tai snapped. He grabbed Ryoji by his collar and some of the students in the courtyard ran away.

"Put him down…"

I turned to see Soma walking over to them. Soma was two years older than me, almost a high schooler.

"This isn't your fight, Haninazuka." Tai spat at him.

Soma took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, "Actually," he said, "It is."

Tai let go of my brother and backed off. He clearly wasn't looking to fight a Haninazuka, and hearing that he got beat up by Shima's brother would make him look bad in front of her. He balled his hands into fists and then ran away with his group. Soma kneeled beside me and looked at the wound on my head.

"We should take you to the infirmary," he said, "Do you want me to cast a curse on Hoda-San? I can make all his teeth fall out." A chill went down my spine. I always forgot that Soma was the leader of the black magic club.

"No that's ok, Senpai." I said, "But I'd like to go to the infirmary."

He helped me up and Ryoji tried to walk with us, "No it's fine…" I said, and gave him the best smile I could though I was in a lot of pain. "Go finish your day. I'll see you at home."

"You should have told me you were being bullied…" Ryoji said quietly.

"You were distracted, I didn't want to bother you." I said. Then Soma and I left.

* * *

It was late and I had just finished my assignments for the day. Dad had to leave work to come pick me up and he definitely had plenty of questions about what happened to me. Of course I didn't want to tell him who did it. Dad was vicious when it came to protecting Ryoji and I. I knew he'd threaten Tai's family's business and that just wasn't what I wanted.

A knock on the door took me out of my thoughts and I called for whoever it was to come in. It was Ryoji. He brought me a cup of tea and sat on my bed. "How're you feeling?" he asked.

"Well my head feels like it's been hit by a rock…" I said.

"Well it was," Ryoji said with a smirk.

"It was?"

His eyes widened and I laughed, "I'm kidding! I'm fine. I'm on pain pills and just had to get a few small stitches. I'll have to wear a hat until my hair grows back."

"Why are you smiling?!"

He was yelling…

"Why are you always so happy about everything, Toby? You're getting bullied and all you're doing is smiling about it, like it's a normal thing! It isn't!"

"What's getting mad going to do?" I asked. "It seems pretty pointless and doesn't really get you anywhere…" I got a notification on my computer and smiled, "It's better to get even, don't you think?"

I showed Ryoji the screen and he read it slowly. I could see the change in his expression from confused to pleased as he finished up.

"You sneaky little…" He handed me back my computer, "Does Dad know you did that?"

"Of course not. But I'm sure he'll get wind of it in a few minutes. I told you guys I could look after myself."

"How very…" Ryoji was searching for the right words, "Ootori of you, brother."

I shrugged, "One of us has to keep to tradition."

"Are you sure you're ok though?" Ryoji looked me in the eyes long and hard. He was searching for something that wasn't there. But I saw it clear in his big violet eyes.

I grinned, "Positive! Do you think I could get away with getting some ice cream?"

"Just tell the maids it's for your head," Ryoji shoved his hands into his pockets and walked out of the room. Before he was gone he said, "I'm watching a movie in my room in an hour if you wanted to join."

"I'll bring the popcorn!" I gave him the peace sign and he shut the door.

I opened up my computer once more and looked over my handy work once again. If there was one thing that I thought Japan was excellent at, it was their dedication to reporting the news. It's amazing what a few favors at Ouran would get you. Security footage of the school grounds, and an anonymous tip saying the Hoda family was threatening the Ootori heir and well…you got one very big apology from Tai's dad, and a bully who—after today—wouldn't even lay a finger on me. Just like I said…I was fine.


	52. It's been a While

Hello Dear Readers!

I'm terribly sorry for the silence. It's been quite a hectic past couple of weeks. Work has kept me busy, entering competitions has taken up most of my creativity, and I...went on a date for the first time in a very long time. Fingers crossed this works out, but I'm also just trying to have fun. Nevertheless I shouldn't have put you all in the back seat.

To make up for my abandoning you, I've written a very long, very special chapter about Ryoji and Amelie that should wrap up all this sadness and we can get into hijinks and love triangles and all the fun stuff that you know and love about Ouran. My next post after that will be an Omake about the Hitachiin family and then after that a chapter about the Host club's first mission to save a couple in love!

After re-reading some things I can definitely see how my emotions effect my writing. When I'm in a great mood you can tell by the jokes and silliness I put in there. When things get intense so do the chapters. Without getting into deep details, I can say that it's been a wild ride these past 12 months. I was engaged and then he left me. I was on the verge of being homeless but got a break by getting a job that I love (thank God because I didn't want to give up my kitten). I've had family issues, as most of us do, and health problems, but the thing that kept me going was writing these short fan fics.

Honestly, thank you all for your kind words, especially during the bullying I was going through on here. Thanks for loving these characters as much as I do, if not more. Thanks for reading. If you ever feel yourself going through a hard time in your life, I want you to know that I'm here for you! Send me a message, and I promise to reply. I know what it's like to feel like you're alone. But you're not.

In the words of the 11th Doctor:

The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice-versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things and make them unimportant.

Cheers my loves,

Your Amazon Princess


	53. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love Chapter 6

**Kiss Kiss Fall In Love**

Chapter Eight: Ryoji and Amelie

Kyoya sat with his eyes closed as he listened to Ami play the violin. Now that she wasn't having IV treatments every day and her lung infections went down, she was getting more and more energy. She could sit up on her own and go for short walks, and in a few weeks she planned to start taking clients again. She felt awful that Kyoya had to support them only on his salary. Of course he said his salary was more than enough for their family and then some, Ami still hated the thought of not working.

"You didn't marry a stay at a home mom after all!" She joked with him one day as they walked through the garden.

It was good to have her back. To see her smile. To see the stars in her eyes. Yuuichi still came over to check up on her now and again. He told Kyoya that the more energy Ami got back the more she would have to eat. Her appetite had been incredibly low. Kyoya had to make sure she completed her meals. It was tough. Often she got nauseous and couldn't eat another bite. Some days she just wouldn't eat at all. She had lost a tremendous amount of weight and was frail, but she smiled through it, like she did everything.

The music stopped.

Kyoya opened his eyes and saw that Ami had lowered her violin to her lap and was staring out of the bay windows. He stood up to walk over to her, just to make sure she was ok. Kyoya followed her gaze and saw Ryoji and Mikoto walking the grounds together, most likely discussing their next adventures in their club. He hadn't spoken to Ami in quite some time, and though Kyoya knew he'd come around, this was hurting Ami deeply. Perhaps even worse than her treatments did.

"Keep playing my dear. I love listening to you." Ami took her eyes off of the window and gave Kyoya a big grin.

"I'll play the song I wrote for you when we were in college." She said.

"I'd love that."

Once again, she softly shut her eyes and began to play the melody she had made up one summer afternoon in the apartment they shared. Kyoya could almost feel the warm breeze from the open windows rolling in.

As Ami grew deeper into her music, Kyoya took out his phone and sent Tamaki a text: _Time to get the club back together for one last quest…_

* * *

One hour later…

"I can walk Kyoya, honestly."

"The doctor said you needed to take it easy. Stop complaining."

"Your _brother_ said to limit the amount of walking I did, and I haven't even gone outside today."

Ami folded her arms together as Kyoya wheeled her into the lounge. She lost her frown immediately though as soon as she saw the Old Host Club waiting on the other side of the parlor doors. Honey, Mori, Hikaru and Kaoru, Haruhi and Tamaki stood waiting for her, each with a rose in their hand. Ami smiled and was near tears as each host stepped forward, bowed, and handed her their rose. Tamaki took her hand and kneeled.

"A hosts job is to make every young lady happy." Tamaki said, "And Ami, we're going to do just that!"

The other's cheered behind him and Kyoya nodded in agreement. The fire in Tamaki's eyes came back and he flipped his hair flamboyantly and pointed at his friends, "All right gang! It's our job to reunite Ami-senpai with Ryo-chan! And we won't stop until mother and son are happy together! Now! Who has an idea?!"

Honey jumped up and down on his toes. He was taller now, shorter than Tamaki but the two could have been mistaken for brothers. He ran forward and addressed everyone, "We have to go back into one of their favorite memories and recreate it! Perhaps a place where they shared a sweet?"

"That's not a bad idea," Kyoya said, already on his phone looking up whatever it was he was always doing on it, "The boys would enjoy it when we took a weekend trip to Kyoto. Seeing as it's nearly spring, the trees will be in full bloom."

"That's pretty romantic, we'll invite Tara." The twins said.

"No!" Tamaki snapped at them, "We must keep this as small as possible. So Ryoji doesn't suspect a thing. It'll be a family trip."

"Actually…" started Kyoya, Tamaki glared at him—he was ruining his plans. "If we went out as a group vacation, the kids would be around and it'd make it easier to split off as families and—"

"And make sure Ryoji and Ami end up together, that's a brilliant plan, I'm glad I came up with it!" Tamaki said as he clapped his hands together. Kyoya pushed up his glasses in annoyance.

"Then it's settled! _Operation: Senpai_ is in action!"

Haruhi and Kyoya seemed to be the only ones who noticed the look in Ami's eyes. She was smiling, but she wasn't excited. Haruhi pulled on Tamaki's sleeve and motioned to Ami.

"Senpai?" Tamaki asked, "Is everything alright?"

It was as if Ami woke up and she noticed everyone there. "I'm fine!" she said and waved her hands to apologize, "I just…" she looked at Kyoya who raised an eyebrow, "I don't want Ryoji to feel forced to come to me. He'll talk to me when he wants too."

A silence fell over the room. Kyoya turned off his phone and shoved it into his pocket. "Nonsense," he said, his voice firm, "Amelie had we not gotten you the proper treatment you could have died. You'd gone too long undiagnosed and if I had just noticed sooner…" he trailed off, his cheeks flushing red. He removed his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose and then sighed, calming down. "The truth of the matter is…you could have died…You would have died if we didn't act on the severity of your symptoms. Ryoji knows that. I truly believed he had prepared himself for you to…to leave us. I can't read his mind but if he's anything like you, he feels guilty for having thought it. For distancing himself so quickly. He doesn't know how to come back."

Haruhi kneeled in front of Ami and smiled at her, "Your his mom, and all he needs is a little push and the opportune moment with you. You'll see, Senpai. We can help make everything right again."

Hikaru and Kaoru winked at Ami, Honey ran over and hugged her, Mori gave her an endearing smile and a nod of his head, and Tamaki and Kyoya stood side by side with looks of confidence that made her ready to trust their plan.

"Ok," Ami said, "Let's try it!"

* * *

 **Kyoto, Ootori Estate**

Haruhi was in awe as they settled in to the giant mansion on the hill. In the distance she could see the sakura trees in full bloom and couldn't wait to go on a walk down there later on.

"You've been here before haven't you, Haruhi?" Kyoya asked, once again on his phone.

"Well…no." She said, "We don't have a house out here."

"Oh really?" Kyoya smirked, "How very…humble of you."

Tamaki's ear twitched from across the room and ended his conversation with Mikoto to go over and yell at Kyoya for calling him cheap. Honey entered the room after hearing the noise but once he realized it was just Tamaki he went about his business.

"You know the plan right?" He whispered over to Mikoto.

The poor girl was nervous but she gave a vigorous nod of her head, "Yes, Haninazuka-San."

"Great! Just let them do what they always do and go along with it!"

Honey gave her a thumbs up and then left the parlor. Moments later the doors were pushed open by Tara and Andi who ran over to Ami as she was just sitting down by the window. She laughed and patted her friends on the shoulders.

"I'm fine you silly ladies!"

"We've been so busy!" Andie cried, "I wish I could have visited sooner! Ah it sounds like a horrible excuse!"

"You were catering events for a royal Swedish family," Ami said, "That's a perfectly story book reason to me."

"I brought you a real jeweled crown, they just had it laying around and gave it to me!"

Ami cheered and held her hands out as Andie reached into her bag and pulled out the beautiful tiara.

"I wish I could've visited more, but now we're here, and we're not going to leave your side," Tara said, she then glared at Kyoya, "You should have given her Mochi! She always has him when she's sick!"

"I had the servants search the entire house, they couldn't find the raggedy thing," sighed Kyoya.

"Raggedy!?" All three woman barked. They then lost themselves in a tangent about how Mochi, Ami's stuffed fox from childhood, had saved their friendship on numerous occasions and had mystical healing powers. Tamaki became fascinated by the stories and then shamed Kyoya for not finding the stuffed animal.

* * *

Mikoto slipped out of the room and joined the others down the hall. Her part in the plan was simple. Just get Ryoji to agree to go outside. That was it.

It was interesting seeing everyone outside of their Ouran uniforms. Mikoto wore a simple outfit, pants, sneakers, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap. Everyone else was so well dressed, she definitely felt like the poor one.

"I love how common you are, Miko-Chan," Sasuke said as he sat next to his cousin. They were resting on each other and clearly hadn't gotten enough sleep, "It makes me wish I could dress like that." Sora finished.

Sophie hit the two of them in the back of the head, "Don't be mean!"

They stuck their tongues out at her.

"It's good to have you, Mikoto. Don't let those two devils get to you." Sophie said.

Chieko bounced over to Mikoto and took her by the arm and smiled up at her. Of course Chieko knew that Mikoto was also a girl but she thought it was fun to play along. "We should all be nice to Miko-senpai! This is after all his first time in Kyoto!"

Everyone else gasped.

"Is that true, Mikoto?" Yumi asked. She pulled out a bento box and offered her homemade meal to Mikoto, "Here, eat something. It'll make you feel less intimidated."

"We'll all have to show you our favorite places," Soma said, looking over his shoulder and smiling at her. He was wearing, of course, all black, just like his mother. The only difference between Soma and his mother was that he didn't need an umbrella to go out during the day.

"Well you have to see the temples!" The cousins chimed in.

"And sample all the food," Yumi said quietly.

"I'll show you all the places where urban legends and myths about the city were born." Soma suggested.

There was a scoff from the corner where Shima sat reading a manga. Soma said nothing, though Yumi frowned as she looked from brother to sister.

"Everyone just calm down," came Ryoji's voice. He walked in with Toby at his side, looking calm, cool, and collected as always. "We're here for several days. We have plenty of time to show Mikoto around. But first we have to survive—"

Before he could finish, the door burst open with Tamaki in the lead and the rest of the old host club following suit. This had been the first time, in a long time, that all the adults were together. Ryoji snapped a photo to send to Chiaki. He'd be so upset that he was missing this reunion.

"Look at this beautiful sight!" started Tamaki, already swooning, "Two generations of hosts in one room! Think of the majestic things we could do together! Why with our good looks and charms, we could accomplish anything!"

Chieko cheered and Sophie hushed her. She never wanted their father to be encouraged.

"We've decided to have a picnic out in the forest together before you all go off and leave your loving parents behind!" Tamaki was on the brink of tears but brought himself back as Haruhi took his hand and patted it. "Now, go and get ready and we'll meet you outside!"

Once all the teens were ready to go, Kyoya had the cars pulled forward and they all got in. Toby looked up at the window to see his mother waving at them and he frowned.

"Dad is is Mom not coming?" he asked.

Kyoya looked up from his phone, "Hm?" He looked back at Ami and smiled at her, "Your mother can't overexert herself right now. Your Aunts will be staying behind with her." He then got into the car and sat next to Ryoji who was now looking back at his mother who had lost her smile once the doors closed.

* * *

Ryoji remembered this place well. It was one of the first places his father took him when they first came to Japan when he was three. The trees were in full bloom and the wind scattered the petals and they danced around in the air before falling gently and quietly down. Haruhi and Sophie were setting up the giant picnic blanket while Mori and Yumi were preparing the food.

"Mom would've loved to come here…"

Ryoji looked to his right to see Toby watching all the other families set up. Honey and Shima were already enjoying their sweets while Reiko, Honey's wife, was placing wards around the glen with Soma to keep evil spirits at bay. Tamaki and Chieko were busy taking photos together and The Twins were complaining about being outdoors to which Sasuke and Sora were happy to indulge in as well.

"This could either go very well, or very poorly…" Kyoya said, finally closing is phone and returning it to his pocket. He stood beside his boys, all three leaning on their right hip, with their left hands tucked into their pants pockets. Ryoji and Kyoya adjusted their glasses and Toby had the same contemplative stare his father was currently expressing.

"Why are we doing this again?" Ryoji asked.

"We need to learn to spend time together as a family," said Toby, "Like it or not, they're our extended family."

"Well said, Tobias." Kyoya looked down at his sons and smirked. "And seeing as we all don't want to get scolded by your mother for not enjoying ourselves, we'll have to put our best foot forward and make it through the day."

"If mom were here she'd have everyone sitting down and eating already." Toby said.

"If mom were here, everyone would be treating her like a princess," Ryoji said with a smile, "Uncle Tamaki could never say no to her."

That's when Ryoji got an idea. He walked forward and stood in the center of the picnic until everyone noticed him. He then sat down and started serving Haruhi and Sophie some of the food.

"Thank you for putting up with our father's whimsical needs," Ryoji said to Sophie, then flashed her a charming smile. He then turned his eyes onto Haruhi, "It must feel like a second job coming home to Uncle Tama-Chan!"

"Oh it definitely is." Haruhi said and then started telling Ryoji about all their adventures back in high school.

"I was not a pansy!" Tamaki yelled from across the glen and then charged over to the picnic and sat next to Ryoji to get the story straight.

"Boss was a total ladies man," said the twins, "A true player," Hikaru said, "And a perv!" Finished Kaoru. They also sat down and pushed Tamaki out of the way.

One by one everyone joined Ryoji at the picnic blanket and started reminiscing about old times together. Kyoya nodded, happy to see that the plan was working. He and Toby took their place with the others.

"Oh and don't get me started about how dramatic Kyoya was when we were all in America for a year!" Tamaki exclaimed. Kyoya raised an eyebrow in defiance, "Yes, you sir! All over a silly arranged marriage!"

"You and mom were in an arranged marriage?" Ryoji asked.

"Hm?" Kyoya looked over at him and shook his head, "No that was to someone else entirely."

All the kids' mouthes dropped in shock.

"We never told you that?" Haruhi asked them.

"Could have sworn we did," Honey shrugged as he took another slice of cake.

"I think we would have remembered that very important fact," Toby said.

Kyoya waved the subject off, "It was nothing important. A simple problem that was easily resolved."

"Easily?" the other hosts chimed in.

"After eight months of denying their feelings for each other, your mother confessed to your father," Haruhi told the boys, "Unfortunately, just as your father realized he loved her too, he was told your Grandfather arranged a marriage for him. A very important one at that."

"It was heartbreaking!" Tamaki said, tears threatening to leave his eyes, "But your mother didn't give up!"

Honey, mid cake bite, said, "She came up with a plan to delay everything and get to Kyo-Chan before it was too late!"

"She decided to offer herself as Kyoya's bride." Mori said.

"So that way Kyoya wouldn't have to move back to Japan and they'd get to spend more time together." The Twins said.

"And they all lived happily ever after!" Tamaki cheered.

Toby and Ryoji exchanged worried glances, "What if it didn't?" They asked.

All the adult hosts looked at them with confusion. "What do you mean, _if_?" Tamaki asked.

"Well what if they didn't end up actually liking each other that much? You were so young! That was a huge gamble!" Ryoji said, sitting up on his knees now. "Toby and I wouldn't be here!"

This made Kyoya chuckle, "I said that to her too when we went to University together." His eyes were soft as he remembered their time together, "But when your mother feels certain about something, she's sure of it."

"All this time, you two never wanted to date other people?" Sophie asked, her cheeks were red and Ryoji was sure he knew what, or who, she was thinking of.

"We had our hard times together, sure." Kyoya said, "Had Amelie called off the arrangement my father would have made other necessary plans. I'm sure he had several other wealthy young women in reserve."

"But you knew?" Sophie pressed, "That Aunt Ami was the one…how?"

"Because she challenged me," Kyoya told her. Haruhi took Tamaki's hand and he smiled at her and kissed her on the head, "Because she infuriated me. Because she was confident and knew what she wanted. Because when I was with her, it felt like we were completing a kintsugi. Two broken pieces making something beautiful. All the cracks and scratches were filled with gold, new possibilities, new beginnings…Mono no aware."

"The transience of things?" Toby asked. "That's so sad."

"You misunderstand," Tamaki said, now looking at the others. "So many things only last for a brief moment. Everything is fleeting. And when you come to understand that, you begin to find a deeper appreciation for the things, and the people, that you love."

"Your mother and I," said Kyoya, "Were both raised to be strict, disciplined, and most of all, ambitious. But that consumed all that we were. When we met, we only saw each other as cold, calculating, people who would do whatever it took to get what we wanted."

"That hasn't changed," The twins chimed in with a laugh.

"But," Kyoya went on, "Once we got to know each other, and revealed every crack, scratch, and dent in our souls…we knew we had to help one another. It was all unintentional. We had no plans to fall in love. Sometimes, fate has to break you a little, so you know what it feels like and also so you know what it looks like. Then, when you see it in another person, you can mend them instead trying to change them."

Honey sniffled a little, "That was beautiful Kyo-Chan!" This initiated a group hug that Kyoya was quick to slither away from.

"This is getting a little too sentimental for me. Shall we finish up and go on our walk?" He asked. The others agreed and while they cleaned up, Kyoya took out his phone. Ryoji walked over to him to try and ask another question, but didn't bother to interrupt his father when he read the messages on his phone screen.

 _Amelie Amore: Are you having fun? 3_

 _Kyoya: Of course, dear. How are you?_

 _Amelie: The girls are forcing me to watch all the movies I missed in the past couple months. Lots of Zombies! :D_

 _Amelie: I miss you and the boys. Would love to have a family dinner soon, all of us._

 _Kyoya: Ryoji's been asking about you. I'll see if he's ready._

 _Amelie: Don't push him, he'll come around._

 _Amelie: Stop texting me I'm fine! :P Go have fun_

 _Kyoya: I love you with all of my heart_

 _Amelie: 3 The sun to my moon, I love you too 3_

Ryoji turned to walk away, hoping his father hadn't seen him…

"Ryoji?" He turned and looked up at his father who had shut his phone and put it back in his pocket. "Are you ready?"

"For what?" Ryoji asked, his heart racing a little.

"To move on. It looks like everyone else is packed up."

"Oh! Right! Of course. Let's go." Ryoji nodded, then bowed, then apologized for that, and then went to join up with Sophie and everyone else. Kyoya simply smirked.

The rest of the day Ryoji just couldn't stop thinking about his parents. He hadn't really heard the whole story before. Just that they met in high school in America. Why hadn't they told him and Toby the rest of the story? Why did he care so much? He tried to come up with excuses but the first thought that came right back was…

* * *

"I wouldn't be here if mother hadn't been so determined to marry father…"

Toby looked up from the book he was reading. They'd all been home for a few hours now and the sun had set about an hour ago. Toby and Ryoji had finished dinner early and spent some time with their friends but Toby could tell his brother was distracted and so he brought him back to their bedroom.

"You know _I_ wouldn't have been born either," Toby said smartly as she shut his book. "Everything isn't always about you." He laughed but saw it had no effect on Ryoji.

"Why didn't they tell us?" he asked.

"Because it didn't happen," Toby said, "Otherwise we wouldn't be able to talk about how it almost didn't happen."

"Toby I'm not in the mood for jokes." Ryoji said now looking his brother in the eyes.

"What are you so upset about?" Toby asked.

"I don't know!" Ryoji exclaimed and then he left.

Outside Ryoji kicked a couple rocks as he ran the questions over and over in his head. Why _was_ he so upset? There wasn't any real reason. He just felt like there was a heavy rock in his gut and he couldn't get rid of it. It just sat there.

"Whoopsie!"

Ryoji rounded one of the corners of the estate and saw his mother trying to untangle her foot from the vines that grew where their balcony was.

"Mom?"

Ami froze in her place and then slowly looked over at her son, "Hi Ryo…" she said softly.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Your father's worried I'll catch something out here and won't let me come out to enjoy the sights at night…" she looked around and realized it was very dark, "Ok that's not what I meant, but I just want to walk around without him breathing down my neck. He's so intense!"

Ryoji walked over and helped his mother loosen her foot from the vines. "He's just worried you'll get a lung infection."

Ami dusted herself off and then placed her hands on her hips, "I'm on anti-biotics and am under your father and uncle's watchful eye. I think one little stroll at night won't be any arm. Besides, I've got this cute sweater on!" Ami winked, laughed, and started to walk off. She grabbed Ryoji's hand and brought him with her, "It's so nice for us to spend time together again, don't you think, Ryo?"

"No…" Ryoji stopped and whipped his hand away from his mother. She was shocked, not expecting this sort of rebellion from him.

"Ryo…" she started but he interrupted her.

"Mom you almost died!" he yelled at her, "You couldn't move for months, you could barely breathe, and you're barely able to stand now!" His eyes started to water up, "You can't just gamble with your life like this! You're always taking risks and not thinking about how it'll affect everyone else! If you got sick again…that could be it…I won't have you anymore…It's like you don't even care, like it's water off a ducks back!" he started to sob and Amelie took him in her arms.

"My sweet boy…" she kissed him on the head and then lifted his chin to wipe his tears. "You're right…I should be a bit more careful. Sometimes I forget I'm not your age anymore. That I'm not invincible. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't live in the moment." She smiled, "Mono no aware, my love. That was the past and we're here now. I'm with you. I'm real. I'm never going to leave you so's long as I have even a single breath."

"Uncle Tamaki told us about how you and dad met. The rest of the story…" Ryoji said, his nose was red and Ami tried her best not to coo at how adorable he looked. It was like he was three all over again. "You didn't know that things would work out with dad. How do you know you won't get sick again? What if it's worse?"

"Well," said Ami, "I don't. But, I knew that I was supposed to be with your father and I'd walk through fire to get to him. It was a gamble, but it gave me two beautiful boys!" She kissed him on the cheek and Ryoji laughed, "And I know that I'm never going to leave you, Ryo. You will always have your mother around."

"Isn't this touching?"

Ami rolled her eyes once she heard her husbands voice.

"You're not supposed to be outside in this sort of weather, Amelie." Kyoya placed his hand on her lower back and then looked over at Ryoji, "I can only assume that you were escorting your mother back in?"

Ryoji wiped his eyes and nodded, "Of course, dad."

"Ugh, you two are going to be the worst!" Ami sighed as she let her men walk her back to the estate. Toby stood on the balcony in his parents room and smiled down at his family. Finally, things were getting back on track to normal.


	54. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love Chapter 7

**Kiss Kiss Fall In Love!**

Chapter Seven: A Lover's Quarrel!

The sakura trees were in full bloom!

Spring was in the air and the school was busy preparing for their next festival. And the Host Club would be making an appearance!

Ever since Amelie made a full recovery, Ryoji had been on top of the world. He had soared quickly to the top of the class—not like he wasn't doing well already—and he had exceeded in all his physical classes and even picked up a music course. All of this was to build up to the ball room dance he'd been chosen to perform in at the end of the year. Ryoji wanted to make sure he would be nothing short of perfect.

"Senpai are you sure we should be practicing in here?" Mikoto asked as they waltzed around the Host club room.

"Of course," Ryoji said, "It is _our_ club room after all. Besides, we need as much practice as we can get."

"We?" Mikoto asked as Ryoji spun her around.

"Yes, all of us…because you'll be selling your bodies." He winked and then bowed as the music ended.

Mikoto raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"I got the idea from an auction my mother did when she was in high school. You'll all be sold off to the highest bidder for one night and the proceeds will be sent to fund Ouran Public High School."

Mikoto smirked, "This is a PR thing isn't it?"

There was no hiding his devious grin, "I don't know what you're talking about _Mister_ Sun. Now, it seems our time is almost up and the club will be starting. Go get into the costume, Chiaki prepared for us all. Today is going to be a great day! I can feel it!"

The Host Club had moved their tea ceremony outside to the school gardens. Everyone was dressed in fine floral garments with pastel accents. It was Chiaki's finest work yet. For the Hitachiin cousins he chose blue and pink roses. Blue for Sora and pink for Sasuke. The cousins even went as far as to dye their hair the opposite pastel colors. They pulled it off perfectly. For Soma, Chiaki chose black dahlia's to go with his black magic persona. He sat under the shady sakura's and the girls swooned over his knowledge of life and death ceremonies. He was rather poetic, Chiaki would give him that.

Yumi was in a red floral kimono and serving up sushi to everyone in the garden. She spoke happily about the art of preparing the fish and rolling everything just right. Chiaki knew he needn't worry about her. The girl was a natural as long as there was food around. Then there was little miss Sophie. Chiaki had placed her in a yellow sun dress and braided a sunflower into her hair. She was engaging quite a few admirers in conversation and had loosened up a bit over the weeks. He knew she'd come around. However, Chiaki didn't miss the glances she took now and again over to Ryoji and Mikoto. Ryoji was sporting a lavendar and white suit with a red rose sticking out of the pocket. Mikoto wore a white suit with a lavendar tie and it sent the attendees wild! Chiaki took in the beautiful image he had created of the host club and placed a hand to his heart.

"I do such good for the world…" he said softly.

"Nomura-Senpai!"

A group of girls called him over and immediately Chiaki flipped his blond hair and waltzed over to them.

"Did you put all of this together, Senpai?" they asked him.

"I did! I'm so happy you noticed, it makes my heart flutter like a million butterflies are inside of me!" he cheered. The girls blushed and began talking about the latest spring fashions.

* * *

"More tea, Ootori-San?" Mikoto asked as she poured a cup for all the girls around them.

Ryoji was about to respond when he noticed a young man enter the gardens. He was average looking and looked a bit intimidated as he scanned the crowd for someone. Once the young man noticed Ryoji had saw him, he blushed and then started walking away.

"With me, Mikoto." Ryoji said as he stood, "Ladies, we'll be right back."

The girls started whispering about what Ryoji could possible want to do alone with Mikoto and this made them all the more excited for their return. They imagined them coming back with ruffled hair and adjusting their ties and the thought of it made them turn red. Chiaki saw Ryoji leaving and excused himself to join him.

"Where are you going?" Chiaki asked. Ever since he had been left behind when the entire old and new host club went to Kyoto, Chiaki was on a mission to make sure he was never left out again.

"There was a young man who seemed to be looking for someone," Ryoji said.

Chiaki's eyes lit up, "The love of his life! Ryo! This could be the opportunity of a lifetime to help someone!"

Mikoto laughed, "This is a host club. Isn't that part of our job?"

"Ok it'll be the first opportunity." Chiaki corrected himself.

Ryoji held up his hands to stop the two from talking. Just ahead of them was the boy he had seen earlier. Ryoji approached him. "Excuse me—"

"Ahh!" The young man was on edge and Ryoji just scared the hell out of him. "I'm sorry, Ootori! I didn't see you approach…"

"Quite alright," Ryoji said with a charming smile, "I couldn't help but notice you came looking for someone at our tea event."

The young man blushed and tried to find his words, "It's nothing to concern yourself about, Ootori. Really! Sorry I bothered you."

"I'm so sorry to say this, but I don't believe I know your name." Ryoji said.

"Don't worry! It's fine! No one really remembers a guy like me anyway." His face had turned another shade darker.

Mikoto blinked a few times and then it dawned on her, "You're Sojiro Akagi. You're a scholarship student too!"

Sojiro stared at Mikoto for a long time and then it dawned on him, "Mikoto?" she nodded and smiled and then they hugged each other. "You look so different! Like…a boy…"

Mikoto laughed and rubbed the back of her head, "Yeah, it's a long story. But basically you have to just go with it. Everyone thinks I'm a boy!"

Ryoji and Chiaki looked confused and then Mikoto happily explained the situation. "You guys this is an old friend of mine from Ouran Public Middle School!"

"Was it Mikoto you were looking for, Akagi?" Ryoji asked.

Sojiro looked at Mikoto and smiled, "I was actually."

Ryoji noticed the looks the two shared and then he placed his hands behind his head and shrugged, "Go ahead and catch up you two. Mikoto, just remember you do have duties to the club."

Mikoto bowed to Ryoji, "Thank you, Senpai!"

* * *

Later, once the club activities ended, Ryoji and Toby waited at the school entrance for Mikoto but she didn't show up. She ended up texting Ryoji saying that Sojiro would be taking her out to dinner and she'd see him tomorrow.

"Hmm…"

Toby looked up at his brother and studied him, "Mikoto is allowed to have a life you know."

"What?" Ryoji looked surprised, "Of course she can, I just don't like people canceling plans with me." He crossed his arms as the car rolled up.

Toby smirked and then got into the car first, "You should start hanging out with the other club members. Make new friends."

"Says the kid with only two friends. One of which he's in love with." Said Ryoji.

Toby smiled and a small blush warmed his cheeks, "I'll have you know Chieko is well aware of how I feel about her. At least I'm open about my feelings."

"Chieko knows? Since when?" asked Ryoji, he rolled up the window to the car so he could hear Toby better.

"When we were all in Kyoto. She doesn't feel the same, but at least I said something."

Ryoji rested his head on the side of the window and watched as the city flew by. How was it that his younger brother was more mature than he was? He wasn't jealous of Mikoto being with someone else. In fact he was sure Akagi was in for a rude awakening. So what exactly was he jealous of? His closet friend having other friends? That was idiotic. Of course she could hang out with other people. Mikoto had to have other friends other than him and the club…right? Was Ryoji holding on too tight?

"Yes," said his mother.

"No." said his father.

Dinner wasn't getting Ryoji anywhere.

Amelie waved Kyoya off, "Honey, your friends will always be making other friends. Why look at me, I had plenty of friends! But you didn't see your Aunts getting jealous now did you?"

Kyoya rolled his eyes, "It's ok to feel how you feel about your friends, Ryoji. It just proves how much they mean to you."

"To be perfectly honest," started Amelie, "I was just happy that you ended up making real friends!"

Ryoji felt like he just got hit by an arrow. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"What your mother means…" said Kyoya, "Is that your friends back in New York were…"

"Gold diggers!" Amelie jumped in. "They only hung out with you because of us. Because of who you were! What do the kids call it now? A squad? That's all they were. Superficial. I hated all of them."

"And _now_ ," Kyoya went on, interrupting his wife before she could do more damage to their son, "you have friends who know you on a more personal level. Who are willing to be with you despite your…quirks."

"What quirks?" Ryoji asked.

Toby laughed, "Your need to control to everything. You only speak in sarcasm. Your constantly flirting with every girl you meet. And when you smile you look like a villain from a manga."

Another arrow hit Ryoji. "How about you be a little less subtle, Tobias!" he snapped.

"It's true! You always look like you're scheming." Toby said as he bit into his food.

"Just like your father!" Amelie said with a laugh.

Kyoya sighed as she and Toby laughed at them.

"Ryo," said Amelie, seriously, "You're going to see your friends move on, but if they're your real friends, they'll come back." Kyoya agreed and took her hand. "Besides, you should really focus on your relationship with Sophie. You two are so cute together!"

"MOM!"

"IT'S TRUE!"

Kyoya smiled as Amelie and Ryoji started to argue about how he should admit his feelings and express what he truly wanted. Toby laughed and chimed in a few times as well. Kyoya was happy to see his family as a family again. Ryoji and Amelie bickering with one another, Toby engaged with everyone again, and Kyoya, feeling like a father again.

* * *

The next day at school, Ryoji waited in the courtyard for Mikoto to show up, but instead he got a text from her saying she'd be in the cafe for breakfast with Akagi. He read the message over and over again, and each new reading of it, made him more and more irritated.

"What's got you hot under the collar, Ootari?"

Ryoji looked up to see Sophie walking up with her bag slung over her shoulder. He shoved his phone deep into his pocket and started walking toward their classroom.

"Nothing."

"Sure doesn't seem like nothing." Sophie looked around for Mikoto who was almost always under Ryoji's arm. "No Mikoto this morning?"

Ryoji shrugged, "Busy."

The rest of the day continued like this. Ryoji was moody, Chiaki was busy planning things for the ball, and Mikoto was no where to be seen. When Sophie joined Ryoji for lunch, she noticed that he was in a much better mood. Most of the girls were whispering about how they had seen Mikoto with some other boy and they were worried about Ryoji.

"Hey, Suoh-Senpai!" One of the girls waved her over and Sophie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She put on her best smile and prepared for them to ask her the dreaded question. "What's going on with Ryoji and Mikoto?"

"That's a little formal of you, don't you think?" Sophie asked. She didn't realized she had snapped at the girl until after her words echoed back to her.

The girl bowed, "I'm sorry, Senpai! I just—It's so strange to see Ootari-senpai and Sun-Senpai without each other."

"It's not like they're attached at the hip," Sophie said, she tried to soften her voice like her mother would do, "I'm sure everything is fine! They're best friends after all."

The girls collectively let out a sigh of relief and thanked Sophie for her time. She then sat down with Ryoji and started eating. "You have all the girls going crazy again, I'll have you know." She said as Ryoji pushed his chocolate mousse to her. He didn't like chocolate at all, and when they were kids he always gave his candy to her. He hadn't done that for a while though. Something was definitely bothering him. "They think you and Mikoto are having a lovers' quarrel."

"The girls at Ouran are fanciful," Ryoji said, he turned to Sophie and smiled at her, "Whatever keeps business good."

Sophie took a bite of her mousse and then stared hard at Ryoji.

"What?" he asked.

"You're speaking in English."

"Oh…" Ryoji switched back to Japanese, "Sorry, I was distracted."

"Obviously," she said, "So what is going on?"

Before Ryoji could utter a word, Mikoto walked over to their table with Akagi hot on her trail. She sat at her usual spot next to Ryoji but Akagi sat where Chiaki usually would.

"Move."

Everyone was shocked to hear Ryoji's voice get so dark.

Akagi blinked a few times and then the words registered, "Um…sorry?"

Ryoji sighed, but not his usual sigh, his 'I'm talking down to you because you're dumber than me sigh', one he inherited from his father, "Chiaki is running late today and that's the place he always sits. Now, move."

"You're being rude, Senpai." Mikoto said, she did not look happy.

"There is an order to how we do things, I thought you would have known that by now. We have an image to keep up." said Ryoji.

"There are plenty of other chairs for Chiaki to sit at."

"That's not the point!" Ryoji snapped at her. Several heads turned to their direction and Ryoji felt his cheeks flush out of embarrassment. Before anything else could happen, Sophie stood, grabbed Ryoji's hand, and pulled him out of the lunch room.

* * *

"What's going on?" Sophie asked Ryoji once they stopped beside the fountain in the garden.

Ryoji couldn't look her in the eyes and instead focused on the koi fish swimming around. "I think..." he tried to think of a better word, but couldn't, "I'm jealous."

Sophie nearly scoffed but held the condescending laugh within, "I don't think you have to worry about Mikoto and Akagi-"

"No," Ryoji said, "Not like that. I don't know, it's just...she and I got so close recently and she's never once mentioned this guy. Now they're hanging out all of the time..."

"Well it's not like Mikoto is your only friend." Sophie told him seriously. Ryoji finally looked up. "I've been your friend since we were babies and you never treat me like you do, Mikoto."

Ryoji rolled his eyes, "That's different."

"How?"

He opened his mouth to explain but no words came out. How was it different? "Well, we grew up together. You're practically my sister, Soph."

Her cheeks turned a deep red and she turned her back to him and crossed her arms. "A sister..." she muttered.

Ryoji was confused, "You've just always been there, Soph. I know I can always come to you for anything...maybe I took that for granted." He took Sophie's hand, turned her around, and smiled at her. "Don't be mad at me, So-So."

"Don't call me that stupid name." She said, but she did crack a small smile.

"You used to love that name."

"When we were four!"

They shared an endearing moment and Sophie was going to ask Ryoji a question but her phone interrupted that thought. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw her boyfriend calling her. Ryoji saw the screen, frowned, and then turned to leave.

"I think Chiaki is in the club room. I'll leave you to your older gentleman." He waved to Sophie over his shoulder and then disappeared into the building. And for the first time in a long time, Sophie felt sad watching Ryoji go. She hadn't felt those feelings in a long, long time.


End file.
